Forget Vancouver - Watch Out This Winter

My wifes cousin Steve came to the farm and on arrival explained to his kids that "this is the way eccentric people live".

No offense intended, but that would have been the end of the visit if someone came to my place and made a statement like that about me-especially to his children.

While I expect demand to rise for coal and the equipment required to burn it, I don't expect a shortage for those of us "already inside the circle". If you are worried about availability, try to buy your coal during July/August.

Most people are too stubborn to consider anything beyond a pellet or a wood stove, and of the few that are genuinely interested...many of them will cave to the advice of their friends and family; which is usually that coal is dirty, dusty, and polluting.

Case & point: This week I had a chance to visit with someone building a new house. 2000 sq. feet, radiant heat in the house, heated garage, etc etc. It will all be heated by a wood boiler, because wood is available on the property. I suggested skipping the smoke, bugs, short burn times, chain saws, chiropractor, and everything else by installing a coal boiler (He is already planning to go with hydronics). The response was that the wood was free, so it would be less expensive. Rather than pointing out all the hidden costs, I suggested selling the wood and buying coal with the proceeds. Capitalize on the wood, enjoy clean steady heat in the house...I thought I made a good case, but not good enough; they are still going forward with the wood boiler. The part that floored me is that the wood boiler is about the same cost as a brand new Keystoker or LL boiler.

coalnewbie wrote: My wifes cousin Steve came to the farm and on arrival explained to his kids that "this is the way eccentric people live". Now I am sure I am on the right path - thx Steve.

Personally I think the people that burn LP/NG/HO and live in a 60 degree house are eccentric.

And they may never see the light, Mark, especially after the "investment" in the wood boiler. I would never go back to firewood as a primary heat source here. As a matter of fact I have to keep reminding myself to check the EFM's ash pan. I like to visit it once a day, sometimes I forget!

Personally I think the people that burn LP/NG/HO and live in a 60 degree house are eccentric.

Yep!!

It's ok,Doopa-yosh's like Cousin Steve have always been with us. They're the ones who went the wrong way,towards the bow in the Poseidon Adventure,They also thought it was a great idea to park all your aircraft wing tip to wing tip at Army and Naval Air Stations prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack. They pay $5 for a cup of coffee,when Freddy's near giving it away. Don't be offended,as Cousin Steve is merely doing his job of ignoring the obvious,and he's taking the kids with him. No offense,please,but I'd of had my foot in Cousin Steve's fanny,right in front of the kids,so that they could have gotten a field lesson in Manners,Respect and Embarrassment. We're all nuts,it's just they haven't been able to catch up with us yet........

............and the gene pool was not able to survive even a few minutes of a 'common sense exposure'.
The common sense pool was only 1/4" deep yet the 'pointee head' allowed for the flooding of the respiratory passages....so sad....
I still see quite a few of the new Central Boilers in my travels...10K for starters......yet the side benefits of being able to lug 10 cords of wood someplace handy to look at, and the especially 'user friendly' short burn time that allows for slippin' on the Long Johns at 2 AM for a trip to the 'Smoke House'......man, this coal is overrated!

I actually spoke with two oil/gas dealers yesterday who are afraid to send out prepay offers for this winter. I am realistic, so I understand many won't or can't use another type of fuel, so some tough choices will have to be made before the cold weather begins.
Many will applaud the longest day of the year is behind us, but others of us sure would like to see some warm months for a change. We are approaching the one month with 'damned poor sleddin'', and Fred will be watching the hair starting to fill in for the Winta coat on the horses......the dragon flies fly counterclockwise when the sun is in the southern hemisphere.....
Smitty, those mushrooms I ate yesterday are making me think and act funny........(more than usual)

2 million reward for turning in the tip on Whitey...nice payday. FBI has probably spent 200 million hunting him down and with their luck he will die in his chair in the courthouse without saying a word to ease the pain for the families he devastated, all for a little cash and a good looking chick or two.

WN, you're a wild man--shrooms huh??

markviii wrote: Case & point: This week I had a chance to visit with someone building a new house. 2000 sq. feet, radiant heat in the house, heated garage, etc etc. It will all be heated by a wood boiler, because wood is available on the property. I suggested skipping the smoke, bugs, short burn times, chain saws, chiropractor, and everything else by installing a coal boiler (He is already planning to go with hydronics). The response was that the wood was free, so it would be less expensive. Rather than pointing out all the hidden costs, I suggested selling the wood and buying coal with the proceeds. Capitalize on the wood, enjoy clean steady heat in the house...I thought I made a good case, but not good enough; they are still going forward with the wood boiler. The part that floored me is that the wood boiler is about the same cost as a brand new Keystoker or LL boiler.

I had an indoor wood boiler. I had to clean the chimney every 3 weeks . In the warmer temps it was even worse.After 1 chimney fire I went back to coal . I will never go back to anything else.

I am saying goodbye to wood completely this winter. Burned wood for the house and coal for the workshop for the last two years. Coal system is almost all done. Yes, wood is cheaper if your time is worth nothing to you and you can deal with the constant care and feeding.

This winter was un-relenting. After going up on a snow and ice covered roof to clean a plugged chimney on the wood boiler, I knew I made the right choice to go to coal this year.

My dad has a AHS wood gun E180 stainless steel version. That boiler is much, much more expensive than a S130. I had to have the draft motor bearings replaced ($75) and a new heat sheild ($75.00). Also,he has to replace the center refactory bricks every year. (over $100 plus shipping). You could have bought another ton of coal for the maintenance parts. By the time he gets done with gas and maintenance for the chain saw, wood spitter, tractor to haul the wood in, and paying grandchildern to help, coal would be cheaper.

I had to clean the chimney every 3 weeks . In the warmer temps it was even worse.After 1 chimney fire I went back to coal . I will never go back to anything else.

After the third chimney fire I decided it was time to look into coal...and I never looked back!

Chimney fires ......

That's how my buddy's ol' man used to clean his chimney! It's a wonder that place is still standing.

Wood'nCoal wrote:

My wifes cousin Steve came to the farm and on arrival explained to his kids that "this is the way eccentric people live".

No offense intended, but that would have been the end of the visit if someone came to my place and made a statement like that about me-especially to his children.

I agree that the comment was made to be denigrating, but if you look at the meaning of the word as deviating from the common pattern, then I think it fits most of us as well as most of the founding fathers of this country.

Flyer5 wrote: I had an indoor wood boiler. I had to clean the chimney every 3 weeks . In the warmer temps it was even worse.After 1 chimney fire I went back to coal . I will never go back to anything else.

Wood'nCoal wrote:

I had to clean the chimney every 3 weeks . In the warmer temps it was even worse.After 1 chimney fire I went back to coal . I will never go back to anything else.

After the third chimney fire I decided it was time to look into coal...and I never looked back!

I grew up in a house that burned 40-50 face cords per winter in an indoor wood boiler. It was a ridiculous amount of work, and I remember a chimney fire one morning while we were all sitting at the table...it sounded like a locomotive coming through the house! My dad just shakes his head when we talk about that, none of us had any idea that there was an "easier way".