Thanks for the reply, Mombo! I've received replies here and on my facebook page that got me thinking. Pellet stoves sound like the way to go yet there are a few things I'm concerned about:

Power off/stove stops working: How complicated is the battery backup to set up?

I was told to avoid pellets from soft woods. How do you tell if they are made from soft or hard wood? Are there labels on the bags?

I have a chair and my HD Sony TV right near the stove area. Does the pellet stove get hotter than a regular wood stove?

What do I do with my old Quadrafire insert? It weighs around 400 lbs, I think. I know the people that installed it have to take it apart because it was so heavy. The swapping of the two stoves could become aggravating. Best scenario would be to possibly trade the old stove in, I guess.

So many thoughts both ways. A decision must be made soon because I can't wait too much longer to old my wood if I keep my current stove.

Bob