During the winter months, sitting next to a cozy fire in the fireplace while watching snow flurries outside is a popular family tradition. Although most of us don't think about it, this comforting ritual brings with it some notions of responsibility regarding home safety.

Before you light that home winter fire in your fireplace, please take a moment to consider the condition of your chimney. If you are regularly using your fireplace three or more times a week during the heating season, you should think about having your chimney inspected and cleaned once a year as recommended by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. Proper chimney maintenance and care, including routine chimney sweeps, are important components of preventing chimney fires.

As fires burn, smoke goes up the chimney and condenses into creosote on the inside of the chimney walls or flue. Over time, it builds up like a plaque substance in the chimney flue and is highly flammable thus posing an unnecessary fire hazard.

If enough of the creosote has built up it not only narrows the passageway for airflow through the chimney flue but can ignite and cause a very dangerous chimney fire. Often times these fires are loud and explosive, causing nearby walls and rafters to catch fire as well. Additionally, because of the creosote build up, the airflow often gets backed up, and instead of smoke going up and out of the home, the carbon monoxide-laden smoke goes back into to the house causing further problems.

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 in 1996. An additional 5,500 fires were attributed to chimneys and chimney connectors serving heating systems burning liquid and other fuels. As a result of these fires, 130 people died, 230 people were injured, and total property losses were set at more than $184.4 million.

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 they require regular evaluation and maintenance. The threat of chimney fires can be greatly reduced, perhaps even eliminated, if homeowners only understood that chimneys are active home operation systems which require regular maintenance.

If you are planning to hire a chimney sweep to inspect, evaluate or clean your chimney system — here is a checklist of the things you should know about the person or company you are about to hire:

• How long has the company been in business?

• Does the company offer current references?

• Does the company have unresolved complaints filed with your city or state consumer protection agency or the Better Business bureau?

• Does the company or individual carry a valid business liability insurance policy to protect your home and furnishings against accidents?

• Is the company a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild?

• Is he or she a CSIA certified chimney sweep?

• Does the company have a valid business license for Washoe County?

The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District responds to several preventable chimney fires every year and would like to remind everyone that with proper maintenance, we can all enjoy a warm fire in the fireplace safely and without injury.

For more information on chimney safety information, please go to the Chimney Safety Institute of America at www.csia.org or the National Chimney Sweep Guild at www.ncwg.org.

— Look for more safety tips next week from the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District.