Have you burned way more than normal this year?

Protrucker · Post by **Protrucker** » Sun. Apr. 08, 2018 10:05 pm

Well, I usually burn 3 1/2 to 4 tons per year. I went into this winter with about 7 tons in the bin & I'm down to what I figure is a little less than a ton left. I know that I've burned considerably more for heating the house, but I also for the first time have kept my shop heated quite a bit too. I'm thinking that I've burned about 1 1/2 to 2 tons in the shop. At the rate that the weather ISN'T improving, I'm going to be switching over to propane in a couple weeks or so.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 6:13 am

I think this winter has come closer to the long term norm than a good number of recent winters. And many of us who are relatively recent to coal have mistakenly presumed our future average consumption based upon a string of recent above normal temperature winters.

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 6:43 am

Yes I agree Larry.

I have just created over 5 ton.

It is 10 here this morning.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 7:22 am

Yep, 15* here on the hill. I'm gonna stay at my 3 ton with plans to shut down towards the end of April

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 7:55 am

And many of us who are relatively recent to coal have mistakenly presumed our future average consumption based upon a string of recent above normal temperature winters.

and with the Maunder minimum starting you aint seen nuffiin' yet .... I should have stuck with solar panels and burning daffodils for heat.

GO coal.

I had 31 tons of rice at the start of winter and 4 tons of buck and that was perhaps enough for two winters. That just is not going to happen.

Vbull · Post by **Vbull** » Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 9:10 am

I've shut down my furnace for the year on April 1 and have fired up the hot air propane furnace. Started burning coal in mid-November. We burned 3 tons this year. The last 2 years we burned 2.5 tons. So it was a longer cold season this last year here in upstate NY.

Qtown1835 · Post by **Qtown1835** » Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 11:13 am

coalnewbie wrote: ↑
Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 7:55 am
I had 31 tons of rice at the start of winter and 4 tons of buck and that was perhaps enough for two winters. That just is not going to happen.

Started with a bit over 8tn in the bin and figured i would get 2 years... I will be buying some bags at the end of next year.

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Mon. Apr. 09, 2018 11:28 am

I just summed up the 2017-2018 Heating Degree Days for my area from November 1st through March 31st, and they tallied to 5,167. The long term average of HDD's for this area over the same span is 5,038 from one source, and 5,228 from another source (the later of which measured from the 1970's through the 1990's). Averaging between 5,038 and 5,228 gives you 5,133 HDD's. So this winter is overall about as average as they come vs. available data. Use this season to lock in your long term average consumption.

Clousseau · Post by **Clousseau** » Tue. Apr. 10, 2018 9:32 am

Last year I burned 6 tons of coal from Sept. to Sept. I actually burned all summer last year to try the boiler out for domestic hot water instead of turning on my oil boiler for the same. This year, I have burned 6 tons of coal from Sept. through April 7 and still have 5 months left. Will probably burn another 1.5 tons through that period. That is a 25% increase over last year! And it is snowing today, April 10 as I write this!

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Tue. Apr. 17, 2018 12:16 pm

Do April snow showers bring May flowers? I'm on target to burn more coal this April than in a good number of previous Aprils.

Homesteader · Post by **Homesteader** » Wed. Apr. 18, 2018 9:51 am

Do April snow showers bring May flowers? I'm on target to burn more coal this April than in a good number of previous Aprils.

I've been burning since Nov.1 and was originally going to let it go out on April 15th but it looks like I'll keep burning coal for the rest of the month before switching over to some wood. I've definitely burned a lot more than last year. This weather stinks!

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Apr. 19, 2018 6:01 am

It looks like I will exceed 1,000 lbs. of coal burned for the month of April. Past Aprils have looked like this:

2015: 857 lbs.
2016: 803 lbs.
2017: 656 lbs.
2018: 1,000+ lbs. ???

I've already burned 729 lbs through today, April 19. And there are still 11 days to go. More snow in the forecast for this morning.

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Thu. Apr. 19, 2018 7:04 am

Damn, there's pure proof of the globull warming fears!!!!!!!!!!! Good show Larry! .>)

brandonh98 · Post by **brandonh98** » Thu. Apr. 19, 2018 11:03 pm

First year burning coal, purchased six tons in October and I'm running on fumes right now. I switched over from electric and when you compare my electric heating costs from last winter to my coal costs for this winter, I saved a full $73.69 by switching to coal.

My ROI doesn't look that good right now, but there are many factors. House was comfortable, cold winter, heating an extra zone (basement).

Post by **Lightning** » Fri. Apr. 20, 2018 5:40 am

Omg, you either have extremely cheap electric or you are paying way too much for your coal, even if the house is a little more comfortable. For me, using electric would cost about 4 times as much as coal. 3X if I ran the thermostat at 65.