you know i considered that first, but thought coal would be less expensive. but then my dad told me you know even coke would be cheaper and its cleaner. my uncle burns wood from late October on til April. so i know thats definitely an option. dude has quite the stash of split wood though. i remember a couple years back he had a creosote fire. the stove he had, had this area in the back where i guess you couldn't quite clean it well and it was a area down in the bottom of the back and it built up and one day just caught and that was that. the new one he got doesn't have that issue. there was no way to open the rear to clean it out.