Is Anthracite Coal Less Toxic to Burn Than Wood??

Post by **Lightning** » Mon. Dec. 15, 2014 2:37 pm

longislandsteve wrote:Can anyone help me out. I installed a new coal stove this year and I am very satisfied with the heat produced. The chimney was installed by a licensed installer and was tested a 5-6 on the water column. I have several carbon monoxide detectors in my house. My question is of eye irritation. Is this common? I seem to be the only one in the house experiencing it.

Key words here... "NEW STOVE"
You are likely getting some irritation from the paint curing..

anthony7812 · Post by **anthony7812** » Mon. Dec. 15, 2014 6:10 pm

I had the same issue the first season I had the Harman handfired. I actually went to the doctor for the eye irritation and was told I suffer from dry eye. A inexpensive bottle of liquid tears takes care of the issue. Only seems to effect me during heating season, go figure.

longislandsteve · Post by **longislandsteve** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 9:01 am

Thanks Anthony.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 9:57 am

So, in this case there was nothing toxic at all.

ChrisS · Post by **ChrisS** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 10:22 am

I hope this is relevant to this thread. I noticed humidity is a recurring theme in these answers, so how do you keep the humidity levels up in your house? We have a "whole house" humidifier that we have used a couple years, and since we just started heating with coal this year, the poor thing can barely keep the area around it at 25-30%, even when running constantly. Not wanting to use the electricity, I recently sat mason jars of water on the floor registers, and yesterday's humidity reading was around 45%, in the vicinity of one of the registers. Any other ideas, things that have worked/not worked for you?

My set up: Koker in the basement, connected to first floor ductwork. Second floor only "heated" with a floor vent allowing warm air to rise. First floor, a comfy 70-72 degrees. Second floor, 65-66 degrees.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 11:06 am

45% is kind of high for this weather. There are charts online for % to temp. Too high and you have mold and mildew out of control. I use a console that holds 5gallons, runs occasionally off anhumidistat and keeps the house comfy. About $100 IIRC.

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 11:54 am

Not a good thread to have this subject in, as you suspected.

45% near a jar on a register is not a good indicator of whole house humidity levels...it takes gallons per day of water to raise/maintain humidity levels in even a average sized tight house with low infiltration rate, while burning solid fuels.

Only whole house systems with access to the gallons of water per day needed can make the necessary humidity level difference.

smokeyCityTeacher · Post by **smokeyCityTeacher** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 10:13 pm

if yo uare getting a lot of smoke and smolder - wood may not be the blame. Id look at the stove and the chimney. Most of all you must use WELL SEASONED DRY WOOD or nothing works right.
I know this is a coal forum but many of the people here read the wood burner forum HEARTH.com. Just to be fair to yourself, instead of just saying Ill abandon wood and go to coal - id try to figure out why wood is not working for you. I tis working great for those who have the right equipment setup correctly and always burn dry wood.

just me 2 cents

good luck

avarose wrote:We have a wood/coal Harman boiler in the basement and I am very health concious. I have two small children. We have been burning wood but I am looking for a healthier alternative as I feel there is way too much smoke and smell involved with the wood, which smolders most of the time. Can anyone tell me if anthracite would be a cleaner burn than the wood?? I cant seem to find any info out there as far as what types of toxins and how much are released when burning anthracite. My main concern is the health of my health? If anyone can give advice or lead me in the right direction to find answers I would really really appreciate it!!! Thank you!!!

Debbie

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 11:27 pm

Debbie hasn't logged in here since Feb. 5, 2009

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Wed. Dec. 17, 2014 8:58 am

avarose wrote:Hmmm...we'll give the coal a try but I am concerned that I read somewhere about mercury and radiation being released when burning coal. Anyone know if that is indeed true? My hubby is dead set on this boiler and I am dead set on having a house that is not a toxic wasteland! I do realize burning anything will create toxins but just looking for a healthier alternative to wood. I keep getting such different opinions on coal. Some say the toxins are much worse than wood even though you don't smell or see the smoke. Other's say it's much cleaner than wood, I know there must be an answer somewhere and I am looking for the facts.

Debbie

Appears that Debbie had her mind made up before she ever got here.........

My hubby is dead set on this boiler and I am dead set on having a house that is not a toxic wasteland!

nealkas · Post by **nealkas** » Wed. Dec. 17, 2014 9:53 am

I seem to remember reading some guy, ran his chimney into his big detached greenhouse, (huge thing), and would then vent to the outside.

But he said he reaped a fair bit of waste heat and the extra CO2 was great for the plants. He said the overall air exchange was enough to keep the monoxide below any of his alarms going off.

Rozzie · Post by **Rozzie** » Thu. Apr. 30, 2020 9:42 am

I read that burning coal emits mercury vapors.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Thu. Apr. 30, 2020 10:31 am

Wood smoke has a significant quantity of mercury in its smoke. Along with some radioactivity and benzene which affects people with asthma pretty badly. Burning anything will produce some kind of toxin, try not to get wrapped up in someone else's agenda.