What is the best way to heat your house to save money?

Specifically what I mean is should you use gas, electric, wood stove, or something else?

Public Comments

1. get your contractor or anyone who worked on the house or owns it to put insulation in your walls
2. Wood is absolutely the cheapest. For the price of a chain saw and a gallon or two of gas your warm all winter. Chain saw will last for years and could even pay for itself if you sold some wood. Easy way to get wood is when storms come and trees come down. In my town they pile limbs at curb. Not hard to find wood once you start looking. I used dead wood from within 30 yards of my house for two years. Solar has a much high upfront cost. Electric is outrageous and gas isn't as bad but too high.
3. Obviously, insulation doesn't heat your house. It only helps to keep it from getting as cold as it would without insulation, but it doesn't heat it. Personally, I think if you live in a wooded area, you should thoroughly research wood heaters to determine which ones are the best quality, and will meet your needs. Also research to see which of the available and plentiful woods around you are suitable for burning in a wood heater, and whether you need to cure them first. We had a wood heater when I was little. It was a cheapie for one drafty room, and it wasn't airtight (the heater). But it did the job. I advise that you try to get one that is airtight, though. Smoke is unpleasant.
4. Get the wood heater, and then follow these steps to keep your heating costs down: