It happened thousands of times last year - chimney defects resulted in home fires. It doesn't take much to start a home fire...a spark flitting through a crack in the chimney wall into the attic...a chimney ember igniting a creosote fire which then climbs the full height of the chimney "looking" for a breech in the chimney wall...or simply excessive heat reflected through chimney walls when a clay liner is missing or damaged. Fortunately, the problems of a deteriorating chimney can be corrected without completely rebuilding your chimney. With continued use, any of these conditions could lead to loss of property or life.