Interested in Buying a Coal Stove

I am interested in buying a coal stove.I know very little about them. I looked at Pellet stoves. The initial cost is about the same. I live in the Northeast. and it is quite cold here at times. anyone? . Help is appreciated very much. What are some coal units that look like a pellet stove but burn coal and do not cost 4000 dollars and not reduce the quality. thank you so much. Don

Don

WELCOME to NEPA!

Tell us about you house layout. Sq Ft? Style? Open layout. ect. I assume from your post you would prefer a stoker? Or would a simple hand fed stove be of interest?

What part of the NE do you live in?

Also could a mod move this to its own topic for a better response?

Hi Don:

I don't know the specific brand, but chatting with my brother during the week there are stoves out there that burn both coal and pellet. He said a friend in Central NY, south of Syracuse (some healthy winters there) has been using one and has been burning coal more so lately.

I've been burning wood for 20 years now, give or take. I'm about ready to go to coal, or at the very least, try it out in an older stove that I have a coal kit for. the soot and stinkiness when the airco comes on in summer and draws down the flue is a concern. Sweeping doesn't remove it all.

A friend of mine always said that pellet is today's answer to pea coal. Possibly there were old stoves that were auger fed? I doubt it. The hands off and convenience of both pellet and coal are really something to consider. Being a slave to wood is a real drag. Pellets are no fantastic answer. They swell when they get wet and are pretty useless. Corn is also a consideration. A lot of people mix either corn and pellet and/or possibly Pea coal. I would if the cost differential were there. A lot of experienced coal burners burn wood in the beginning and end of the season when it's not so cold. Pellet has a way lower BTU rating than coal. And bugs don't get into it like they do wood.

Pellet stoves are partially that expensive due to the fact they are more than a sheet steel box with a fire pot and auger inside. They are an appliance with at least two motors (one for the auger and one for the blower to get the heat out and make the fire in the pot dance, and up to three circuit boards. Toss a circuit board in the middle of a cold snap and see how fast your appliance gets serviced.

Personally I wouldn't purchase another sheet metal stove. I'm in the market and trying to get something for my sheet metal wood stove and get it out of the house. I paid about $1300 close to 20 years ago. It burns clean but is picky about the fuel source. I'm so done listening to the blower in the family room the first $300 or $400 that comes by gets it. Pellets are also something you have to have to watch with ash and moisture content. Store your fuel inside if you can. Wood brings in ants and spiders, not to mention mold, fungi and moisture. Yeah, wood is "free" but then it's not really. By the time you buy chainsaws, rent splitters, a truck to haul it with, drop it safely, cut it up to the length you need, split it, maybe move it twice, stack it; bring it in to burn. Hell they say "he who burns wood is warmed twice" but personally I'm up to about seven. Storing it inside something more than under a tarp is really smart. Build a wood shed for either cord wood or pellets. Build a coal bin in the basement or bring the pellets or corn inside. That way you won't lose heat opening the door for every bag or bucket you need.

Yesterday I saw a Quadrafire Cast Iron Pellet stove. Wow. From a company that made strictly sheet metal years ago. I also saw a Harman Cast Pellet insert that did more than radiate off the glass. The blower was fantastic but the price was about $5 grand. Maybe there was some discount or something. At those prices I didn't bother reading about any pricing games. I prefer stoves that I can simply take with me when I sell.

Soapstone is nice and a consideration when buying new. They're not cheap but a little less so than $4 grand. Old ones have to be rebuilt as do cast. They need resealed which can be a bit of a job. Better to buy new.

Bob

Welcome, Don . You are interested in buying a coal stove,smart choice.Forget all that distracting crap about pellet,corn & wood stoves,lets think about the choices of coal burners.Click on the manufacturers on this forum..Leisure Line is a good one to start with.ONEDOLLAR asked some very good questions to get the process started,lots of info on here to guide you in this heating decision.

Excellent dissertation!!!
You have done your homework and appear to have an excellent handle on the pros and cons of the different fuels.

It appears that you have described what you want out of a heating appliance and it sure sounds to me like your choice is a hand fed coal unit. However there are a number of units available so now it's time to move to the part where you check the manufacturers out. Once you have it narrowed down to a couple three units, then type them in the search box at the upper right corner and get some of your favorite adult beverage. Settle in for some more reading and if you have questions, post em....We'll do our best to help you along.

Rev. Larry
New Beginning Church
Ashland Pa.

Greetings Don/guitarboy ! You'll notice that these Good Souls ask for Background Information to Qualify the best Advice they can send You ! Stay with us,answer the Background Info Questions to the best of your ability and you'll be learning about Coal Criteria right off the Bat ! Nobody likes a Bad Opening Experience! You'll find a level of Care here that's both Genuine and Tactical/Practical. Keep the Feedback coming to us regularly. You'll never walk the Path Alone,My Friend!

Guitarboy - you might want to read through this short thread:

Introduction to Coal Burning

dj

guitarboy wrote:I am interested in buying a coal stove.I know very little about them. I looked at Pellet stoves. The initial cost is about the same. I live in the Northeast. and it is quite cold here at times. anyone? . Help is appreciated very much. What are some coal units that look like a pellet stove but burn coal and do not cost 4000 dollars and not reduce the quality. thank you so much. Don