There is no question about it, fires are extremely dangerous and we must do everything in our power to prevent them. Believe it or not, one of the most common types of fires is a chimney fire.  Please keep in mind that chimney fires can, and often times do, go past the chimney. They can easily spread to the roof, walls near the chimney, and any other part of the home.

The good news is that although chimney fires can create a lot of damage, they are easily preventable. Following the tips below will help to protect your chimney and home from having a damaging fire.
1.      Once a year have your chimney inspected by a certified chimney sweep. They will make sure that there is no damage to the fire walls, ie: cracks and holes.  http://www.superiorchimney.net/14-point-fireplace-chimney-inspections.htmlRead More

23,600 REASONS TO SERVICE ALL CHIMNEY TYPES REGULARLY           The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, reports that some 23,600 residential fires in the 50 states were related to solid fuel appliances and equipment. An additional 5,500 fires were attributed to chimneys and chimney connectors serving heating systems burning liquid and other fuels (gas). As a result of these fires, 131 people died, 232 people were injured, and total property losses were set at more than $184.4 million. In addition there were a minimum of 119 deaths from carbon monoxide and at least 4,700 "injuries" reported for the same time frame, though most estimates range much higher.
The root cause of most of these losses is that most U.S. homeowners are unaware that chimneys are an integral part of a home heating system and that they require regular evaluation and maintenance. In a great many European countries - including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Germany - chimney-fire damage statistic…