It has been coldest I remember, and then I find out we had some very cold July days in Melbourne since 1990!
The folk around here are saying, that this is a 'real winter', something we had forgotten what it was like from decades ago.
I think a fireplace has warmth that is unmatched by any other form of heating. Cosy and nice, yes, but, I am actually sick of it, constantly having to lug in the wood, and feed the fireplace to keep it from going out, and then the smokiness and dust in the house.....it's not the cleanest form of heating, not when one relies solely on it.
It's great once the weather warms up and I don't have to tend to it and can turn off the fan.
As for electricity bills, some may remember, we had solar panels put in last year, 20 of them, and it irked me, the electricity bill wasn't a whole lot cheaper, finally had them come to check it at the risk it could cost $200 if nothing was found to be wrong, but lo and behold, they discovered 7 panels were not connected!
Idiots. One whole year not uitilizing 35% solar savings, when the sun shone. I can't keep up with it all....do I have to tell everyone how to do their job as well as pay them?