Keep a Home Fire Burning?
Cold winter nights are a tempting reason to light a fire for heat and comfort. But whether you throw a log in the fireplace or use a modern US EPA-approved stove, it pays to know the pros and cons of wood-burning. Sierra magazine’s Mr. Green has the particulars on particulates in fireplaces, which usually aren’t efficient heating sources anyway.

Wood stoves, however, are another matter. Under the right circumstances, a modern one can be a cheap, relatively low-carbon home-heating source. Sierra Club Green Home’s guide to wood and pellet stoves has everything you need to know about the modern home fire.

Also on Sierra Club Green Homes web site is a good article about ground source heat pumps (geothermal) for heating and cooling.