Been a while since I’ve been around, broke some bones in my leg, kids, life, yada yada. Nice to be back on the forum though! Anyways, I know this is firewood forum but I’m sure there’s more than a few that have experience with coal so just humor me would ya? About to put a offer in on a house with a coal furnace. I have zero experience with them. Listing agent says it’s about 10 years old. I don’t even know the brand, I didn’t really check it out too closely. It was running though while I was there. It has a hopper and self feeds. The coal it was using was in 50 pound bags and was very small, wood pellet size or smaller. Guess my questions are; how expensive is that to run? How long does a 50 pound bag last? How many pounds could I expect to burn through in a season? I know there’s a lot of variables like temp/insulation and all that so just some general thoughts and experiences that you may have had with a coal furnace. Thanks
First do some research on a local source of coal is available nearby? Might find them sold along side wood pellets. Coal puts out high BTU's, I've no clue on the furnace or coal itself! Hopefully someone will answer some questions for you!
Sounds like a stoker furnace, maybe even a stoker boiler, that burns rice anthracite coal. You need to find out the name and model, and then to get the best information regarding that unit, go over to the coalpail.com forum and create an account. There you will get experienced help likely directly for that model. The anthracite is available in 40lb bags, some 50lb bags, and bulk...bulk being the cheapest. Cost will vary from $5 bag to $7.99 bag for 40 on bags. No idea the cost of 50 lb bags. Anywhere from $250 per ton to $350 for bagged depending on several factors. Bulk will be less, sometime substantially. How long it lasts in your furnace will vary depending on several factors like how large the home is, how well insulated, how tight, how many windows, etc. Generally speaking it is very efficient and cheap heat. I’m on the Indiana line...not the closest place to the anthracite coal fields. Even at $320 a ton...even if I cut my own wood...when you factor my time, a truck, saws, a splitter, a trailer, and seasoning time for the wood...anthracite is still cheaper for me...I have my own wood lot too...and it’s much easier. I have a fuel oil furnace and nearly 5 years ago my fuel oil bill that wonder was north of $2500+. I heated for less than $300 all winter last year. All I did was unload off my trailer and stack in my garage. No worry though...it can be wet...often comes that way in the bags after washing. It’ll burn wet. Try that with pellets. This past week I’ve been averaging 30 hour burns in a hand fed stove...just like a normal wood stove...and for 30 hours I’m burning less than half a bag...17lbs-20lbs. Somewhere between .66 to .8 lbs per hour. Let’s just say that a stoker furnace or stoker boiler is often more efficient than my hand fed stove. Still, lots of factors to consider. No way to tell how much you will burn in a year with knowing more information. Anthracite coal is not for everyone. I take out quite a bit of ash when I’m burning hard...not excessive, but I empty twice a day during the coldest temps. Zero chance of a chimney fire though. The ash and fly ash isn’t combustible at all. I encourage you to visit coalpail and get specific information regarding you unit and your details. A lot of those folks have been burning anthracite 60 years or more. Yes...plenty of elders to glean information from over there and a great group of folks, just like here. I’m a little pushed for time right now, but if you have more questions feel free to ask. I’ll help where I can. You can pm me if you like. Don’t want to ruffle any feathers with my fellow wood burners, or we can continue here if the mods agree. EDIT: Some of these guys can confirm or deny, but I think wood pellets put off approximately 7,000btu/lb - 8,600btu/lb. Anthracite puts off 12,500btu/lb - 14,500btu/lb. A ton (50 - 40lb bags per pallet) of anthracite is approximately equivalent to a 1 1/2 ton of pellets ( 1 1/2 pallets). Each has trade-offs...just like anything else in life you have to figure out what fits your budget and lifestyle, likes and dislikes. For me...it is purely an economics issue. I needed to find the cheapest heat possible. For me that was anthracite...even if I cut my own wood.
The decision for me to burn coal also has been allowing me time to season the cords of wood that I bought. More to come, I’m typing in-between stops.
These are questions that the listing agent should have all the answers to. Or, be able to get them along with proof (receipts) of previous winters costs. If the listing agent can't or won't provide, I would question the credibility of that realtor. Don't be in a rush. It might get expensive to rely on "word of mouth".
Thanks. She does have a supply cost sheet from the last 5 years from the homeowner, just haven’t seen it yet. I’m going back through the house this week so I’ll look a little better at that system. I had to have one of the kids with me so I didn’t get to look as closely as I wanted. I’m not rushing per se but you do have to be quick in our market.
Thank you Hoytman. That’s some good info. Was looking for just that, some info and real world experience. I’ve just never known or even heard of anyone in my area using coal. You would think it’d be more popular being a cheaper option. House is 147 years old so I’d assume insulation to be oh, about zero. Windows are all nice newer Anderson. I’m definitely looking for cheapest heating option too. House has a propane furnace also but I sure know that’s not the cheapest! There’s also 15 wooded acres so a wood stove insert would probably be going into the existing fireplace at some point. I’ll check it out more this week when I go back.
Sounds like an interesting place. Beware the old masonry chimney. Most/many of those oldies are in questionable condition for immediate use. Be advised. 15 acres of woods That wood be sweet..... Good luck and we may need pics!
It was an interesting place but unless something falls through and the stars align I’ll have to keep looking. Was going through signing my offer when the sellers realtor called mine to say they accepted another offer. Missed out by a matter of 30 minutes or so. This market is crazy. Properties like this only come along once every 8-12 months around here it seems like. Oh well, blessed to have a place to call home in the mean time. Thanks for your help all.
market hasn't changed much in the last 4+ years since in was in it except for prices rising. like you i was in a couple that the owners were accepting an offer as i was viewing it. my own place gave listing to realator on Sat. sold on Tues. never hit published listings.
Coal ash is full of heavy metals. If you can bag it and get it to the landfill better than having it leech into your property. Other than that good cheap source of heat and those stoker furnaces are pretty much auto pilot except for dumping the ash bucket and keeping the auger in the coal.
