Woke up this morning to Good Morning America (GMA) as I usually do. Really thought that GMA's ideas about buying a fireplace insert or wood/pellet burning stove were not very good or green. Here's why based on owning a fireplace insert years ago. There are better alternaives to spend our money on.

Consider all impacts and costs
Despite the warm and inviting photo below, consider the following before you spend your hard earned cash on a wood burning stove or fireplace insert:

1) You'll be burning fuel (yes I know it's renewable). However, you'll be adding particulate matter and carbon dioxide to the air---so much for protecting the environment and health, and preventing green house gases. Years ago while flying into Boise Idaho one winter I remember the haze over the city. They guy next to me remarked that the haze was caused by wood burning stoves, which were very popular at the time.

2) Dragging wood through the house is not easy and creates a mess. If you are older, it may be out of the question.

3) Fireplace inserts and stoves are still pretty inefficient. Most of the heat goes up the chimmney no matter what they say.

4) The fireplace insert or stove may over heat the room you are in. In our case, we literally had to turn the unit off after awhile, because the heat drove us out of the room. Lower heat settings result in more creasote build up in the insert or stove. The remainder of the house was too cold even when we turned on the fan on our central heating fan.

5) We took the fireplace unit out a few years later and actually gave it away.

Consider the total costs before you buy. The fireplace insert or stove may cost between $2,000 to $5,000. Then you have to pay to have it delivered and installed. Then there's your fuel-- you have to cut yor firewood, buy those pellets, or buy firewood.

Also realign your expectations with reality. If you are the kind of person who wants to wear shorts, als and a short sleeve shirt at home during winter, then either pay the heating bill or move to a warmer climate. During winter, you'll have to dress appropriately at home to save money on your heating bills. That is really a given.

What to do instead
1) Rethink your heating needs entirely and where the highest costs are. Also think where energy is being lost. For example, heating hot water with a natural gas-or electric hot water heater can get expensive if you take long showers or have a large family. Also most of the hot water you use goes down the drain and is lost.

You can recover that lost heat, by using a GFX Drain Heat Recovery system. The device collects some the heat that flows down your drain and sends warmer water back to your hot water tank. See the Video on the GFX Heat Exchanger and visit GFX Technologies' website. Note, a GFX unit can be installed by a licensed plumber or a do it yourselfer. They are good for single family and muti-family homes.

Disclosure: We are not affiliated or being paid by GFX Technologies. Many government studies have been done on this device and they do save energy and money. We suggest you research their products thoroughly.

2) When cold weather comes, reverse any ceiling fans so that the fan blows air toward the ceiling. This will get that hot air down to where it will do you some good.

3) Let the sun shine in. If you have a good southern exposure then open your drapes and shades and also trim any trees or shrubs back to allow shunshine in.

3) Call your electric or natural gas utility and see if they will do a free energy audit. Then implement those items that make sense.

4) Buy a good automatic thermostat and get someone who is handy to program it for you.

5) Ask your electric and natural gas utility about programs that will allow you to conserve natural gas or electricity and get paid for it. They are called by a variety of names like demand side management or smart meters.

6) Close doors and vents to parts of the house that are not used. This includes spare bedrooms and rooms that are no longer used by kids who have left the nest.

7) Go to an outdoors specialty store and buy a good thermal T-shirt to wear at home. This will keep you toasty. Get the pants if you seem always cold.

8) If your in a condominium, apartment house or other multi-family housing unit, consider installing solar roof panels or roof top wind turbines. Ditto if you own your home.

9) See what State Renewable energy assistance probrams are available to reduce the cost of installing solar, wind and other renewable energy technologies.

Rell us what have you done or are thinking of doing to reduce your heating bill this winter?