Coal vs. Wood (which creates more toxins?) Please any info is appreciated!

[avarose]

We have a Harman wood/coal boiler in the basement for less than a year. We have been burning wood in it but I just can't take the smoke and smell that seems to constantly linger. We now are considering burning coal and I just can't seem to find any info out there about coal burning and the toxins it releases. I have two small children and I am very health concious. I want to know if anyone knows which would be a cleaner, healthier burn? Which would create the least amount of fumes and toxins in our home? I know coal does not create smoke but I am unsure how safe it is regardless? Does anyone have any info on this matter????


Debbie

 

[WoodNotOil]

A quick google search produced this:

"POLLUTION - It is true that coal does not cause the excessive creosote deposits found in air-tight wood burning but there are some pollutants that are worse than from wood burning, such as sulphur dioxide (from most bituminous coal) which chemically combines with water vapor to produce H2SO3, a weak sister to sulphuric acid, and the usual cause of "acid rain"." http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/coal.html

 

[pybyr]

We have a Harman wood/coal boiler in the basement for less than a year. We have been burning wood in it but I just can't take the smoke and smell that seems to constantly linger. We now are considering burning coal and I just can't seem to find any info out there about coal burning and the toxins it releases. I have two small children and I am very health concious. I want to know if anyone knows which would be a cleaner, healthier burn? Which would create the least amount of fumes and toxins in our home? I know coal does not create smoke but I am unsure how safe it is regardless? Does anyone have any info on this matter????


Debbie

I could not say that woodsmoke is free of pollutants or things that could present health issues (although you should not have it lingering in your home- sounds as if there's something that should be checked out on the chimney, the boiler settings, or the quality of the wood you're using (or all of the above).

-but-

coal definitely yields some less than wonderful stuff- various forms of acids (the reason why the Northeast gets acid rain from the wind-carried pollutants from the midwest's coal-fired electric plants) heqavy metals such as mercury (see, again, how northeast lakes have mercury levels- those are attributed to coal pollutants carried on the wind. "coal tar" which can be a byproduct of coal burning under some conditions, is a real wiches brew of carcinogenic stuff.

I am NOT trying to be anti- coal (wood creosote is full of its own nasty compounds). but in terms of impacts, I'd vote wood- and make sure your system is set up and running right, as in that case, there should not be persistent smoke and stink

 

[avarose]

I understand that coal must realease toxins but if it has virtually no smoke and creosote esp. ANTHRACITE COAL, wouldn't it seem to be a cleaner burn that wood that is smoldering most of the time creating lots and lots of nasty smoke? Anthracite does release mercury??? I do remember reading that it contains the lowest amount of sulfur so would Anthracite still be a huge concern as far as sulfur goes? I know that I can not deal with this wood burning....I can practically see and smell the toxins! UGH....this is frustrating!

Debbie

 

[stee6043]

We have a Harman wood/coal boiler in the basement for less than a year. We have been burning wood in it but I just can't take the smoke and smell that seems to constantly linger. We now are considering burning coal and I just can't seem to find any info out there about coal burning and the toxins it releases. I have two small children and I am very health concious. I want to know if anyone knows which would be a cleaner, healthier burn? Which would create the least amount of fumes and toxins in our home? I know coal does not create smoke but I am unsure how safe it is regardless? Does anyone have any info on this matter????


Debbie

Are you saying you have smoke and woodburning smell inside your house? Regardless of what you are burning, wood or coal, you shouldn't be smelling it inside the house. If you are you may have some issues with your boiler/flue that should be addressed.

Many of us with EKO boilers have issues with our upper doors leaking. A normally operating boiler should not "smell" inside your home. Many of us have gone to great lengths to seal up our doors and keep the smell outside....

 

[steam man]

Everyone all has varying degrees of smoke in enclosed places when burning solid fuels. For that matter, my house was smoked out once from heating oil. A good draft makes all the difference along with dry wood. Burning only when it is cold out should help with the draft also. Sounds like you may be smoldering alot which makes for really noxious smoke. You may even want to try putting in an exhaust fan and/or hood over the wood stove to help when loading. Keeping the door shut until the burn cycle is done goes a long ways.

I am no coal expert but coal does put off more than 4 times the CO2 what wood does. You should take extra precautions when burning coal by making sure your flue is kept open and you have CO detectors. It can burn very clean with no cresote. Buy a few bags and give it a try. There's a learning curve. I see you already posted at the neppacrossroads site so I am sure they can help you.

Mike

 

[atlarge54]

I've heated with wood for the better portion of my life and I'm 57 years old. Your house shouldn't smell like smoke. Do you think maybe the chimney is becoming plugged? Wood heat isn't for everyone, wood heat is messy with bugs and ash dust, it's also a fair amount of labor. I've never used coal in a heating appliance, but it seems there would have to be coal dust and ash problems associated with storing and handling coal. Conventional wood boilers are prone to having creosote problems, thats why people are switch to gasifiers which have their own special issues. Another thing to keep in mind if you're worried about pollution is whenever you use electricity for every unit of energy consumed you're burning 3 units of coal but it's "out of sight out of mind". Conserve and insulate is a worthy goal and would be good lessons for children and adults. This is a good forum to get the help you need. Good luck.

 

[avarose]

Well, I was kind of against this wood boiler from the start but hubby just went and did it anyway. I feel he doesn't run it properly. I don't think it should be used on 50 degree days. When you open the door and its smoldering it smells throughout the whole house and when it's burning hot, it kinda gives off a wierd smell as if metal or plastic is burning. I just hate any type of toxic smell in the house. I do care about the environment but my bigger concern is the health of my children and myself. I watched a family member die of lung cancer and I am paranoid to put any type of smoke in our lungs. I do realize that burning anything will cause some type of toxins to be in the air but I want whatever is the least harmful . My husband is dead set on this boiler and claims we can't afford a gassification one so I'm just wondering if coal would be a better option than smoldering wood. I do feel that draft is an issue and he also seasons the wood only a few months so I'm not sure that the wood is even seasoned enough. I figure with coal, seasoning wouldn't matter, there's no smoke, no smell and being that the door would be open a lot less and I would not even have to open it at all myself, it's looking like a better option. I just can't seem to find anything anywhere about the types of toxins that are released with anthracite and I have heard somewhere that it releases mercury and radiation. Seems like a big concern!

Debbie

 

[Hydronics]

Have you considered putting the boiler in a shed outdoors 100' or so away? You'll need a 12' or so chimney depending on elevations and prevailing winds. I can tell you first hand this works well for us, we never smell smoke in the house & very seldom outdoors. If you have nearby neighbors you'll need to be more attentive to placement and chimney height.

 

[stee6043]

Well, I was kind of against this wood boiler from the start but hubby just went and did it anyway. I feel he doesn't run it properly. I don't think it should be used on 50 degree days. When you open the door and its smoldering it smells throughout the whole house and when it's burning hot, it kinda gives off a wierd smell as if metal or plastic is burning. I just hate any type of toxic smell in the house. I do care about the environment but my bigger concern is the health of my children and myself. I watched a family member die of lung cancer and I am paranoid to put any type of smoke in our lungs. I do realize that burning anything will cause some type of toxins to be in the air but I want whatever is the least harmful . My husband is dead set on this boiler and claims we can't afford a gassification one so I'm just wondering if coal would be a better option than smoldering wood. I do feel that draft is an issue and he also seasons the wood only a few months so I'm not sure that the wood is even seasoned enough. I figure with coal, seasoning wouldn't matter, there's no smoke, no smell and being that the door would be open a lot less and I would not even have to open it at all myself, it's looking like a better option. I just can't seem to find anything anywhere about the types of toxins that are released with anthracite and I have heard somewhere that it releases mercury and radiation. Seems like a big concern!

Debbie

Sounds like your husband may not win this battle. If you feel he isn't running it properly I'd suggest you strike a deal: You run it for a week, take note of the results. Let him run it for a week, take note of the results. Compare your notes after two weeks and make a case.

Stacking firewood could also be a GREAT opportunity to enhance your children's health. Could be a good bondning experience too...

 

[Robby]

I have a Harman SF360. I burn both coal (bituminous) and wood. Both are completely different to burn, but with some learning I have found I can burn either with minimal odor or smoke. Wood produces more smoke until up to flame. Coal, with lots air above fire, is almost completely smoke free and very little odor. I have now 150 gal storage ( I am sure more storage,less problems) and increasing to 1100 gal come spring. Maybe you could add some storage for small investment allowing boiler to run steadier and cleaner.

Last. I found that if I burn wood completely to the rear it reduces or stops smoke coming out when I open the door. Hope this is of some help. One last thought. When you burn coal it drys and burns the creosote from burning wood.


Robby

 

[lexybird]

you crack the door just a hair to allow air in ,this sends the smoke up the flue ,so then open it all the way after like 10 seconds ,dont just run up and fling it open to reload or it will definilty smoke your immediate area up and stink ,the wood you use can stink up the place too especially if its slightly wet

 

[LeonMSPT]

Most residential coal boilers burn nut or pea anthracite, which is cleaner than bituminous coal which is "stove coal". Much of the pollution from plants results from the extremely high temperatures reached in their boilers which are never even contemplated in a residential boiler. They're just not capable of getting that hot.

If you get smell in the house, more than a slight bit loading, something's not being done right or is wrong with the set up.

I love coal in the boiler, and burn wood in my fireplace insert to make the burn time in the boiler longer as I own a large apartment building and heat the domestic hot water and rents with the wood/coal boiler. Coal burns longer and hotter than wood does... takes up less room, and I think if you're buying wood, the coal gives you more BTU's for your bucks.

I've searched for information regarding pollution from residential coal boilers, and there really isn't much information out there about it. Carbon monoxide occurs whenever you burn anything for heat, as does carbon dioxide. I think it's a matter of choice as to where the money for the heat goes. I want my money staying with the United States, and not going to some scumbag tin pot dictator in the middle of the sandbox, or south of the border.

Global warming is an issue for some. It remains to be seen as to what effect this will have, if any. Case anyone hasn't noticed, seems we're getting colder now... ice caps are increasing, and glaciers are beginning to slow receding and some are even advancing. Far from a consensus among people working in the field. In my lifetime we've gone from an impeding Ice Age, to "Global Warming", and now that it's beginning to turn colder that's because of "Global Warming" too. Go figure, and if you get an answer let me know.

 

[rcollman]

I burned wood for 5 years, then anthracite nut coal for about 5 years in my old SunRay boiler and went back to wood. Coal could put out the BTUs, have a good bed of coals in the morning and there was less handling than wood. What I didn't like was the price, the amount of clinker ash (it was 2 or 3 times the volume of wood ash in the same furnace) and there is a big difference between coal dust/grit and wood dust around the house and in the clothes. I had a cement pipe suspended chimney and the coal was very mean to it. Plus getting rid of the clinker was another issue, this stuff is not for spreading on the lawn or garden.

I don't want to step into somebody's relationship. Plastic is not a normal wood smell, unless someone is burning the wrong things or a bag fell on the vent pipe. As others have pointed out you could have other issues that might reduce the smoke. Put a hood over the door and vent it outside Or just put it outside. Ok so you don't like the way that looks in your yard. Sigh.

I would not be burning coal again. My two cents worth.

 

[avarose]

I burned wood for 5 years, then anthracite nut coal for about 5 years in my old SunRay boiler and went back to wood. Coal could put out the BTUs, have a good bed of coals in the morning and there was less handling than wood. What I didn't like was the price, the amount of clinker ash (it was 2 or 3 times the volume of wood ash in the same furnace) and there is a big difference between coal dust/grit and wood dust around the house and in the clothes. I had a cement pipe suspended chimney and the coal was very mean to it. Plus getting rid of the clinker was another issue, this stuff is not for spreading on the lawn or garden.

I don't want to step into somebody's relationship. Plastic is not a normal wood smell, unless someone is burning the wrong things or a bag fell on the vent pipe. As others have pointed out you could have other issues that might reduce the smoke. Put a hood over the door and vent it outside Or just put it outside. Ok so you don't like the way that looks in your yard. Sigh.

I would not be burning coal again. My two cents worth.

I'm not sure what the smell is...not a typical wood smell...more like a chemical smell. Could it be the creosote?? That's what I'm thinking? The firebox is always lined with creosote. Is this normal?? I would love to put it outside but he doesn't want to. Chimney was reduced from 8 inches to 7 so I'm wondering if that could be an issue even though hubby claims it's not.

 

[pybyr]

Well, I was kind of against this wood boiler from the start but hubby just went and did it anyway. I feel he doesn't run it properly. I don't think it should be used on 50 degree days. When you open the door and its smoldering it smells throughout the whole house and when it's burning hot, it kinda gives off a wierd smell as if metal or plastic is burning. I just hate any type of toxic smell in the house. I do care about the environment but my bigger concern is the health of my children and myself. I watched a family member die of lung cancer and I am paranoid to put any type of smoke in our lungs. I do realize that burning anything will cause some type of toxins to be in the air but I want whatever is the least harmful . My husband is dead set on this boiler and claims we can't afford a gassification one so I'm just wondering if coal would be a better option than smoldering wood. I do feel that draft is an issue and he also seasons the wood only a few months so I'm not sure that the wood is even seasoned enough. I figure with coal, seasoning wouldn't matter, there's no smoke, no smell and being that the door would be open a lot less and I would not even have to open it at all myself, it's looking like a better option. I just can't seem to find anything anywhere about the types of toxins that are released with anthracite and I have heard somewhere that it releases mercury and radiation. Seems like a big concern!

Debbie

Debbie- I hope to be constructive here - been through my own "relationships school of hard knocks" and wish nothing but the best and happy endings to anyone else.

the key to burning wood, or for that matter, any solid fuel, including coal, is to feed the fuel at a gradual pace that meets but does not exceed the need for heat; too much fuel all at once at a slow burn equals a recipe for smog and/ or chimney fires.

having more fuel than a need for heat equals a slow, smoky burn, which sends your efficiency of fuel uses into the figurative toilet, and also increases the smokiness, both inside and outside.

if you are home during the day with the kids, I gently suggest you learn how to run the unit, and feed it small it small bits of wood, often, rather than having hubby try to load it up to the gills in a way that would let it burn all day for 8-9 hours.

A hot gradual burn, with smaller bits of "wood food," more often, will do better at yielding more heat, and less smog (indoors and outdoors) than a big firebox full of wood choked back to burn slow/ long

does that make sense?

if it does, keep us posted and the rest of us can continue to guide you in how to get the hang of it;

hubby will even think it's cool that you have developed an interest in running the beastie

best wishes

 

[shoeboxlen]

I burned wood for 5 years, then anthracite nut coal for about 5 years in my old SunRay boiler and went back to wood. Coal could put out the BTUs, have a good bed of coals in the morning and there was less handling than wood. What I didn't like was the price, the amount of clinker ash (it was 2 or 3 times the volume of wood ash in the same furnace) and there is a big difference between coal dust/grit and wood dust around the house and in the clothes. I had a cement pipe suspended chimney and the coal was very mean to it. Plus getting rid of the clinker was another issue, this stuff is not for spreading on the lawn or garden.

I don't want to step into somebody's relationship. Plastic is not a normal wood smell, unless someone is burning the wrong things or a bag fell on the vent pipe. As others have pointed out you could have other issues that might reduce the smoke. Put a hood over the door and vent it outside Or just put it outside. Ok so you don't like the way that looks in your yard. Sigh.

I would not be burning coal again. My two cents worth.

I'm not sure what the smell is...not a typical wood smell...more like a chemical smell. Could it be the creosote?? That's what I'm thinking? The firebox is always lined with creosote. Is this normal?? I would love to put it outside but he doesn't want to. Chimney was reduced from 8 inches to 7 so I'm wondering if that could be an issue even though hubby claims it's not.

I am guessing you are suffering from a leak around the door I was having this issue and it made the house smell as a result which in turn had the wife riding me constantly the final solution I found was tightent he door down and added rtv selant to the whole door gasket this cleared up our issue 100% and only cost me 10 bucks. the wife now loves our wood boiler! hope this helps.

 

[pybyr]

I'm not sure what the smell is...not a typical wood smell...more like a chemical smell. Could it be the creosote?? That's what I'm thinking? The firebox is always lined with creosote. Is this normal?? I would love to put it outside but he doesn't want to. Chimney was reduced from 8 inches to 7 so I'm wondering if that could be an issue even though hubby claims it's not.

creosote smells like bacon with a serious bad attitude