A close call for a Weston family Thursday serves as a reminder for residents to properly maintain their heating system.

The Simons in Weston were alerted after the carbon monoxide detector went off in their home around 3 a.m. Thursday. They had their detector in the basement right next to the oil burner. It was also hooked up to the alarm system, which alerted the fire department. The Simons had to stay outside for about an hour as firefighters aired out the house on Cedars Hill. The culprit was a clogged valve in the home?s oil burner.

Furnace companies advise residents to clean their oil or gas burners and chimneys at least once a year because soot can easily build up in the furnace. When that occurs, the fumes don?t go up the chimney, but instead stay inside the house, which could prove deadly.

Most importantly, experts say it is imperative that residents have a carbon monoxide detector in the home to alert them to the deadly gas.