We had a chimney go bad 4 years ago and put in a regency fireplace insert. the fireplace is in our 1200 square foot walkout, and the thermostat is set at 55 degrees. The boiler never kicks on for the walkout.
After 3 years of cutting, splitting, hauling and burning, I can say the only part about it I do not like is the carrying in of the wood from the outside, and the mess it makes inside. It gets old quick.
For this reason we are likely to get a central boiler e-classic this summer. The $9000 investment is steep, but a new high efficiency boiler (our current one is over 20 years old) will cost the same amount. I cut and split all of our own wood, and have had little problem getting the wood.
I crunched the numbers, and even if I am paying $50 per face cord and burning a face cord a week, it would still be less than the $300/month natural gas would cost for the house. The endless supply of hot water will also be nice.
For those of you that mentioned the epa, there is no doubt that it is coming. The last thing the utilities want is for us to get off the grid, and they are lobbying to make them illegal. The epa issue is just a front.
All of the cutting, splitting, and hauling aside, two things have become evident to me: One, the wood heat is a good, strong, even heat. And two, the feeling one gets from providing one's own heat is a good one. At least it is for me.
The e-classic is expensive, but burns about half the wood of other outdoor boilers, and qualifies for the energy tax credit that will likely be extended next year.