I live in a very rural area where wood burning for heat makes a lot of sense. We have vastly too much deadwood on the ground and it is a serious fire hazard. There is simply no other economic way to dispose of it than to burn it. Most of it gets burned in vast piles by the county and forest services. From my lot, I divert a few cords per year of that to my woodstove. Either way it is going up in smoke. This way, for an acceptable amount of labor, I heat my house and save about $1,500 a year in propane charges.

This is less healthful for me than propane in terms of indoor air pollution. But it is more healthful in terms of exercise and fire prevention. I've accepted that compromise with the help of an air purifier that stays on all winter. Also, when I can get all of my fuel within a few hundred yards of my front door, most of the extraction and transportation costs go away.

And there's something else that's very important to me: When I burn propane, I micromanage the thermostat to save money. I wear heavier clothes all winter and end up tolerating being more cold and uncomfortable. With wood fuel being so much more economical, and surfing the edge of comfort less practical, I just keep the woodstove going all day and cool the house at mid day by opening some windows ... getting fresh air that I just don't get when using propane. So the house is mostly warmer all day than with propane, and I'm wearing less and generally more comfortable.

It's a pretty easy choice for me. I'd like to keep it up as long as I'm physically able.