I just moved into a new home with a fireplace and wish to add an insert to keep heating costs down in the winter (oil heat, ugh). Only exerience is with the unit in our last house, an air-tight Bis II unit. We loved it.. though the box was small and required frequent tending, it threw so much heat - without the aid of a blower (of course, the house was only 1600 sq ft) - that our electric bills never went above $150, even in the coldest months. The new house is very open, and closer to 2500 sq ft. Where do I start to determine if an air-tight insert or a freestanding unit would be best for us? Is this a clear-cut decision? We are lucky to have two stove shops within an hour, but I want to have some info in hand before walking in to check out their choices. Also, I have seen a little about corn burning units.. any specifics would be great, as it seems a more environmentally friendly heat source than wood, given the glut of corn. Do they burn dried, unprocessed kernals? Entire cobs?? Any research on the efficiency of corn v. wood? Opinions on pellets? Coal? My Dad uses wood to start his fires, then burns coal, but we want to avoid the mess and environmental issues surrounding coal. I need someplace to start my research, so if you can point me the right direction I would appreciate it! Thanks!! Anjanette