My family insist on using the fireplace because they have some backward ideas about it being natural and cheaper because there’s so much wood around here. They use it way more than necessary, and use more wood than necessary, so a load runs out very fast and it often gets so hot they have to open the windows.

I like the aesthetic, but it’s a massive waste of time and money. Sourcing wood is expensive. Stacking it takes a lot of time, during which I could be doing productive work.

I’m sure the smoke is affecting our health, too. If I go for an early run on a cold morning the smoke hanging in the air makes it much harder to breath.

I might understand if there wasn’t a very good heat pump right there. The running costs of it are barely noticeable.