A recent Lowe's Home Safety Council survey of Americans revealed that more than one half (55 percent) of survey respondents don't clean their chimney once a year as recommended by home safety experts. Unfortunately there are 10,000 chimney fires caused annually -- leading to nearly $60 million in property damage. (National Fire Protection Association)

"The winter months lead the rest in the number of home fires," says David Oliver, president and executive director of Lowe's Home Safety Council. "Keeping your chimney clean is one way to help prevent fires and save your family from potential harm."

Fireplace Safety Tips

• Chimney fires occur when creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, accumulates in chimneys. Hire a professional sweep to clean your chimney at least once a year to prevent creosote build-up.
• Have the chimneys you use regularly inspected every year for cracks, blockages and leaks.
• Use seasoned woods only in your fireplace (dryness is more important than hard wood versus soft).
• Build smaller, hotter fires that burn more completely and produce less smoke; oak and madrone are the best woods because they are both dense and produce a lot of heat.
• Always use a fireplace screen when burning fires. Remember to burn only wood; never burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, trash or Christmas trees, which can spark and cause flash fires in chimneys and/or float out of the chimney and ignite your roof.

Install a carbon monoxide detector to guard against chimneys that may not exhaust properly.