Nate,

When asked about wood burning I first ask how much sweat are they willing to put in. Do they want a fire to look at or to keep warm with.

Then my recommendations are:

* Gas fireplace insert, or zero clearance FP install.

* Wood pellets if they have the storage.

That takes care of 98% of the people who ask.

* Then cordwood and what type of stove.
In the last few years I have been getting my firewood from the local "suburban" forrest. There are many mature trees being removed and storm damage trees that would just go for waste that can be used for cordwood. This last season the local arborist would drop off a tree about every three weeks. These were only good clean burning trees. Very nice! I could not store all he had.

IF you live in New England here is a new product that is taking off like "wild fire": http://www.biopellet.net/

These are "BioBricks" basicly wood pellets for a cordwood stove. They are suppose to be much better than the usual compressed logs.

And winter time smoke pollution has become a seriuos issue. If you follow the links back on my previous post you will see what Canada is doing. Since I live in the suburbs I try to make as little smoke as possible.

Since I converted my fireplace to woodstove insert I would never have another fireplace. If building a house I would use a freestanding woodstove. Go to the woodheat.org site or hearth.com there are number of papers there, some talk about fireplace efficiency, depending upon construction a fireplace can be a net heat LOSS.

-- Brandy