Have not had a fire yet. We are in heat pump season right now. This is the one of two times a year when it runs at peak efficency, so we let it do it's job. Our all electric home has always produced the lowest energy costs in Oct. and Apr. We will probably light the stove along about mid November it looks like, but only a night fire, as during the day the sun will normally warm the house fine. That and her 5 "geek space heaters" (computers) that run all day m-f.