Carbon Monoxide is known as the silent killer because it cannot be seen or smelled, and if you breathe too much of it, it can become deadly within minutes.

And with temperatures beginning to drop on more of a daily basis, many residents throughout Moose Jaw – and Southern Saskatchewan for that matter – will be firing up their furnaces to keep warm.

Because of that, SaskPower is warning people to 'Know the risks and stay CO safe this winter', saying there is an influx of CO Incidents throughout the colder months because of furnaces.

A spokesperson with SaskPower, Joel Cherry, comments on the dangers of CO in your home.

"There is an uptick in CO incidents in the winter and that's because people are using appliances that use combustible fuels, natural gas, propane, that type of thing. Carbon monoxide is produced when those fuels don't burn completely and there's not adequate air supply or ventilation."

Looking for a way to stay safe? A carbon monoxide detector will do the trick.

READ MORE: Tips to Prepare Your Home for Winter

"You should have a carbon monoxide detector in your home, and ensure that it's working." Says Cherry, "Typically there are no warning signs of carbon monoxide until you start to feel sick. If you're awake you will start to feel ill, but if you're asleep you won't feel any symptoms at all until its potentially too late."

Cherry recommends you have a CO detector in a place you can hear it, and that carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms are similar to the flu, but can quickly lead to unconsciousness, convulsions, brain damage, and even death

"Carbon monoxide detectors typically expire after seven to ten years. When you look at the device it will usually have either an expiry date or manufacture date on it, so even after the 10 years has elapsed, the older ones may not give an indication that they are not working."

Your furnace should be inspected yearly, as well as the venting to the outside of your home, and never light your barbecue or run your vehicle in your garage in the cold weather.