I have been geting killed with propane costs and have decided to take the plunge and buy a stove. I need to heat my entire first floor which is 2100 sq ft. After researching online, it looks as though coal is hands down the cheapest. But for some reason, I can't get it through my thick head of having this in my family room. When I think of coal, I think of all of the old timers with emphysema or lung cancer. I know this is not the case, but I want to make sure it is 100% safe. Can someone ease my mind regarding the safety of using coal and also give me some opinions on whether to look at the other modalities (corn, pellets) also. Thanks.
Coal, Pellet, or Corn Stove
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If you want that then you better go here http://www.nepadigital.com/bb/?sid=affd4a7a69dc771f85358e57501ef9af
We are mostly wood burners here. If you burn hard coal - anthracite - then you will be fine. Find a local source and you'll be ok
We are mostly wood burners here. If you burn hard coal - anthracite - then you will be fine. Find a local source and you'll be ok
Don't be so quick to dismiss a new coal burner greg! I'm here to help.
If you'd decided to burn coal (and it is a cheap, easy fuel to burn), I recommend a few things.
First, follow the manufacturers installation instructions to a TEE, keep everything safe.
Second, install a carbon monoxide detector. It will help ease your mind and will keep your family safe.
Store the coal outside, and you will minimize dust. Also, don't make it a habit of handling coal or ashes in the house any more than necessary. Coal can be dusty, but only if you're careless about how you handle it. I don't care what anyone says, wood can be JUST as dirty, if not worse than coal, depending on how you handle it before it goes in the stove and after it leaves.
What stoves have you been looking at? I've burned a few, and seen plenty of others, so hopefully I can steer you in the right direction.
If you'd decided to burn coal (and it is a cheap, easy fuel to burn), I recommend a few things.
First, follow the manufacturers installation instructions to a TEE, keep everything safe.
Second, install a carbon monoxide detector. It will help ease your mind and will keep your family safe.
Store the coal outside, and you will minimize dust. Also, don't make it a habit of handling coal or ashes in the house any more than necessary. Coal can be dusty, but only if you're careless about how you handle it. I don't care what anyone says, wood can be JUST as dirty, if not worse than coal, depending on how you handle it before it goes in the stove and after it leaves.
What stoves have you been looking at? I've burned a few, and seen plenty of others, so hopefully I can steer you in the right direction.
Corie, you have a lot of good advise. When I was debating between wood and coal I spent hours on both forums and decided that wood was the solution for me. He is in Central NJ, so not too far from the anthracite region.
Didn't realize there were many coal burners here.
Didn't realize there were many coal burners here.
There are almost NO coal burners here, haha!
I think me, and Berlin and that might be it. I'm not really a coal burner anymore, but my parents still are and I spent enough time around it to have a pretty good grasp on things.
In central NJ, I wouldn't hesitate to burn coal if the price per BTU was right. Shoot, if I could get it here, I'd probably be burning coal too. Although Englander doesn't make a coal stove anymore.
I think me, and Berlin and that might be it. I'm not really a coal burner anymore, but my parents still are and I spent enough time around it to have a pretty good grasp on things.
In central NJ, I wouldn't hesitate to burn coal if the price per BTU was right. Shoot, if I could get it here, I'd probably be burning coal too. Although Englander doesn't make a coal stove anymore.
I was a coal burner - does that count?
For a really serious burner, a stoker unit might be a consideration. Read Cories new article on choosing a coal stove:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/choose_coal/
You are correct that coal will be much cheaper than pellets. Coal costs the same or less per ton, and has almost double the BTU, so that means about 1/2 the cost of pellets.
For a really serious burner, a stoker unit might be a consideration. Read Cories new article on choosing a coal stove:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/choose_coal/
You are correct that coal will be much cheaper than pellets. Coal costs the same or less per ton, and has almost double the BTU, so that means about 1/2 the cost of pellets.
One question I haven't ever really heard a good answer on is what do you do with the coal ash? I know you can't spread it on the yard or garden like you do with wood ash, so what do you do? Put it out for the trash collector?
IMHO the question of getting rid of the ash seems like one of the biggest downsides of coal, aside from the whole question of burning dead dinos...
Gooserider
IMHO the question of getting rid of the ash seems like one of the biggest downsides of coal, aside from the whole question of burning dead dinos...
Gooserider
Well if I didn't have all that wood behind my house I'd be burning coal too.
I have a buddy in town that heats a bigger house than mine using a 5gal bucket of coal a day...the ashes he throws on his gravel drive way.
We need a heat source not dependent on electricity ...since StateGrid took over it's like living in a 3rd world country.
I have a buddy in town that heats a bigger house than mine using a 5gal bucket of coal a day...the ashes he throws on his gravel drive way.
We need a heat source not dependent on electricity ...since StateGrid took over it's like living in a 3rd world country.
Untill I moved this August I was using a stoker coal stove and loved it! I have moved to a house with 14 acres of hard woods and now am trying to LIVE with the wood stove. With my old stove it was a set it and forget it operation....once burning right just add coal and remove ash...that simple. The ash I would just pile in a pile and when I needed fill that didn't require something growing... I would use it...I even used it to fill spots and add a few inches of top soild to cover and grass grew fine. Spread on driveway works as long as you dont walk on it...it tracks terribly. I am considering going back to coal and selling wood to pay for it...not sure about that yet. As stated above get a CO detector....should have one anyways.... I never had a problem with mine unless I did something questionable, like prop open the barametric damper. Never need to clean chimney as there is only a fine ash that it gives off.... I lived in the house for 9 years and cleaned the chimney twice....when we moved in, and when we moved out had it cleaned at buyers request and it was clean.
I LOVED MY COAL STOVE... Again I have 14 acres of hardwoods (oak and maple mainly) and am thinking about going back to coal if that means anything to you!
Good luck!
I LOVED MY COAL STOVE... Again I have 14 acres of hardwoods (oak and maple mainly) and am thinking about going back to coal if that means anything to you!
Good luck!
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