Good afternoon everyone,
New member here, and I have a question about coal stove inserts. I currently have fireplace insert for wood. My BIL has a coal stove and loves it. We are considering a switch to a coal insert.
Technical aspects aside, like is our chimney sufficient for coal, is the use of coal in a modern insert cleaner or dirtier for the home interior as opposed to wood? I am concerned about dust/ash, as I have heard a lot of horror stories. Obviously we would be using anthracite, so no worries about the emissions. I am concerned about the storage and operation of the insert making a giant mess in the house, as the insert would be in the living room where the wood-burning fireplace insert is now.
Any input will be appreciated, as well as any other things I should be considering when thinking about switching.
Thanks
Beeski
Coal Insert
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franco b
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 11417
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 05, 2008 5:11 pm
- Location: Kent CT
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: V ermont Castings 2310, Franco Belge 262
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114
- Coal Size/Type: nut and pea
First, coal is far more compact per BTU than wood. !00 pounds of wood is quite a pile to leave a trail of bugs and bark through the house. That same heat value or more needs only 50 pounds of coal. Carry in one shot with two coal hods or scuttles.
That 100 pounds of wood will give you about 4 pounds of ash, while the 50 pounds of coal 5 to 7 pounds of ash.
Most coal stoves need tending only twice a day and easily burn through the night. One fire from Sept. to June if wanted. One match.
Coal dust from the coal itself can be a problem if it was not well washed during processing, but that problem is usually remote from the stove while filling a scuttle.
Fly ash is the other problem which occurs when shaking down and transporting ash. With a well sealed stove when shaking and a little care handling the pan it is really not a great problem.
A great convenience is having a big ash pan which needs emptying only once per day at fairly high burn rates. Most stoves have under sized pans.
Inserts are a problem in cleaning the chimney without first removing the stove. They also need fans and the electric to run them. The fans are to get the heat out and can be annoyingly noisy and will need service and replacement eventually. Much less heat output in an electric outage. For those reasons I much prefer a free standing stove piped into the chimney above the mantlepiece.
If buying a modern stove I would insist it have both hopper and thermostat for quicker, safer, and more convenient tending. The VC Vigilant 2310 does have a thermostat but not a hopper. It is cast iron however for greater rust resistance and is handsome.
With an antique, it should be of the base heater design for top efficiency. Better grate and fire pot design than modern stoves. There are inserts too but relatively rare.
That 100 pounds of wood will give you about 4 pounds of ash, while the 50 pounds of coal 5 to 7 pounds of ash.
Most coal stoves need tending only twice a day and easily burn through the night. One fire from Sept. to June if wanted. One match.
Coal dust from the coal itself can be a problem if it was not well washed during processing, but that problem is usually remote from the stove while filling a scuttle.
Fly ash is the other problem which occurs when shaking down and transporting ash. With a well sealed stove when shaking and a little care handling the pan it is really not a great problem.
A great convenience is having a big ash pan which needs emptying only once per day at fairly high burn rates. Most stoves have under sized pans.
Inserts are a problem in cleaning the chimney without first removing the stove. They also need fans and the electric to run them. The fans are to get the heat out and can be annoyingly noisy and will need service and replacement eventually. Much less heat output in an electric outage. For those reasons I much prefer a free standing stove piped into the chimney above the mantlepiece.
If buying a modern stove I would insist it have both hopper and thermostat for quicker, safer, and more convenient tending. The VC Vigilant 2310 does have a thermostat but not a hopper. It is cast iron however for greater rust resistance and is handsome.
With an antique, it should be of the base heater design for top efficiency. Better grate and fire pot design than modern stoves. There are inserts too but relatively rare.
-
franco b
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 11417
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 05, 2008 5:11 pm
- Location: Kent CT
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: V ermont Castings 2310, Franco Belge 262
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Modern Oak 114
- Coal Size/Type: nut and pea
In answer to the chimney question, one contained in the house structure is much better than one running up an outside wall. It is easier to heat and maintain draft and it does contribute to heating the house.
Fireplaces flues in general are larger than most stoves need, so need more heat to maintain draft than a smaller flue would. If on an outside wall it would be important to get a good idea of how well it drafts. Steel liners should be avoided. If in warm weather the wood stoves smokes into the room when starting a fire, that would be a bad sign. Light some paper and hold it in the stove to see if it draws or not in this hot weather.
Fireplaces flues in general are larger than most stoves need, so need more heat to maintain draft than a smaller flue would. If on an outside wall it would be important to get a good idea of how well it drafts. Steel liners should be avoided. If in warm weather the wood stoves smokes into the room when starting a fire, that would be a bad sign. Light some paper and hold it in the stove to see if it draws or not in this hot weather.