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Yes, a pellet stove can heat an entire house—as long as you choose one that’s large enough for that purpose. For context, pellet stoves generate between 8,000 and 90,000 British Thermal Units (BTUs), and you’ll need 30 to 60 BTUs per square foot, depending on your climate zone. If you’re unsure which size pellet stove to buy, reach out to a local pellet or wood stove repair company.

Compared to certain types of firewood like pine or spruce—which burn off sticky resin contained within the wood that creates lots of smoke—elm isn’t the worst option for burning in a fireplace.

Because elm wood is dense, it burns at a moderate pace and does a pretty good job of keeping your home warm. Hardwood like maple or oak may perform slightly better, but elm isn’t a bad choice overall.

Fireplaces can theoretically help you save on heating bills if you lower the temperature throughout the rest of your home and heat only a single room that you occupy using the fireplace. However, in most cases, homeowners won’t save any money on heating bills. Gas and electric fireplace inserts could actually lead to a spike in your respective energy bills if you use them frequently, and if you don’t keep up with chimney maintenance and repairs, your traditional masonry fireplace could actually be a source of heat loss in the winter.

You’ll need vented logs if you have a vented gas fireplace and vent-free logs if you have a ventless gas fireplace. If you aren’t sure which type of fireplace you have, contact a local gas fireplace service. They’ll help identify your fireplace and explain which type of logs you need to run it.