Is Anthracite Coal Less Toxic to Burn Than Wood??

avarose · Post by **avarose** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 10:44 am

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

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 10:52 am

Here some info, you will probably get pros and cons for burning coal.

Burning Coal Is Healthier for Your Kids! Just Like I Thought

There is NO Smoke from hard coal burning, yes, any combustion has some toxins in it.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 12:22 pm

If there's way too much smell from wood for you, I don't think you want to burn solid fuel. Coal is generally smell free, but with a back draft you can smell sulfur. It's also possible to get a puff back with coal that will puff smoke into the house. A rarity when burned properly, but a possibility.

To compare wood toxins to coal toxins is like comparing apples to oranges. Each has some of the same, but also different chemicals in the smoke. Neither is a threat to humans when used properly.

spotcatbug · Post by **spotcatbug** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 12:34 pm

When I need to (re)start a coal fire in my Harman SF-260 boiler, I burn wood in it for a few hours first. When I do that (burn wood), there is a slight smell of wood smoke in my basement. I believe the smell lingers from when I open the load door to check on the wood fire. A small amount of wood smoke escapes from the boiler through the opened door and that causes the smell. The smell doesn't completely dissipate before I open the door again and reinforce it.

When I'm burning coal in the same boiler (I burn coal continuously as my only source of heat), there is ABSOLUTELY NO ODOR OF ANY KIND in the basement.

I don't know if that helps you, just sharing my Harman boiler coal/wood burning experience.

slu · Post by **slu** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 2:46 pm

WNY wrote:Here some info, you will probably get pros and cons for burning coal.

Burning Coal Is Healthier for Your Kids! Just Like I Thought

There is NO Smoke from hard coal burning, yes, any combustion has some toxins in it.

I saw an article earlier this winter (sorry, I don't have a link) that quoted a study stating that children born in the fall and winter were more likely to have respiratory difficulties, ie. asthma, bronchitis, etc. than those born other times of the year.

We have two children, both exposed to wood heat (almost exclusively from birth). One born in the fall, the other in the spring. The one born in the fall has suffered with some asthma since childhood, the other, no respiratory problems.

avarose · Post by **avarose** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 3:02 pm

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

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 3:08 pm

You are on the right track.

There is NO smoke or creosote like wood, just fly ash and regular burnt ash as a byproduct. You will have some impurities in it also, that will not burn and you get a granola looking ash, depending on the size of coal you burn.

Yes, there might be some stuff in the exhaust, but you shouldn't be breathing it anyway, it should be going up the chimney if everything is working properly. You do have CO detectors for safety?

avarose · Post by **avarose** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 6:12 pm

Thanks for the advice. Yes, we do have CO detectors.

Debbie

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 6:40 pm

Depending on where you live, the air outside is more toxic then the air in your house. A properly run heating system of any kind should not add any toxins to your house. However, coal is a politically charged source right now and a whole bunch of people will tell you whatever they think they can to get you to not use it. Filter the info you get with some common sense and use your head. A little wood smoke is not going to poison your kids. I would prefer it to burning camel dung in a tent!

If you had someone come in and measure the air quality in your house you would find that the furniture and rugs are the biggest problems.
I grew up with wood and oil, I use wood/coal(soon to be all coal) and propane and my family has not had unusual respiratory problems.
Again, filter the info you get and use your head. Oh, by the way, you could use electric heat and have nothing being burned in your house. Just keep writing checks to the power companies!

Good luck and have fun deciding.

Kevin

Post by **coaledsweat** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 7:01 pm

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.

The youngest here had terrible asthma when we moved in. Burned wood for two years and the asthma got worse. Switched to coal and she has been doing great ever since.

TimV · Post by **TimV** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 7:06 pm

I have burned wood in for last ten years. I have had dozens of winter asthma attacks in the winter at home. I was weazing all the time.
This year I switched to coal only.
its a miracle!! No asthma attacks at none not a one this winter! No weazing either!
No smells from the furnace. No smokey smell that lingers on and on.
Everyone thinks I am back burning oil and are shocked when I tell them coal.
I almost think there is a lot of truth in the winter /summer babies and asthma info.
I would say from my personal experience coal is cleaner than wood and much less work.

Millworker · Post by **Millworker** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 8:14 pm

Great question avarose. The fact you are asking means that you care. This also means that you will make sure the boiler is properly installed and vented, in which case you should have nothing to worry about.

With the coal you will have little/no smoke or smell. But are we talking about toxins here or odor? Just because something smells (garlic) doesn't mean it's toxic, and just because something does not smell (carbon monoxide) doesn't mean that it's not deadly.

Clearly, coal contains toxins, many being in the form of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, just to name a few. But the levels of metal will depend on the type of coal, geographic location where the coal was mined, the seam it was mined from etc. But heavy metals are everywhere, to put things in perspective many fish contain mercury, many paints were pigmented with lead oxide, wood is often treated with chromated copper aresenate (arsenic), and cadmium is in batteries. So, dose becomes important. The amount of metals in the coal, and the amount ingested (fly ash? coal dust?) or breathed in the form of vapor will contribute to dose. With proper installation and controls I would assume exposure would be negligible.

If you are really concerned, and want more than just opinions, have your childrens' blood tested to establish baseline levels of heavy metals. Then monitor over a period of time until you fell 100% confident there is no risk. You will have the data to prove your family is safe.

My 2 cents.

avarose · Post by **avarose** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 9:45 pm

KLook wrote:Depending on where you live, the air outside is more toxic then the air in your house. A properly run heating system of any kind should not add any toxins to your house. However, coal is a politically charged source right now and a whole bunch of people will tell you whatever they think they can to get you to not use it. Filter the info you get with some common sense and use your head. A little wood smoke is not going to poison your kids. I would prefer it to burning camel dung in a tent! If you had someone come in and measure the air quality in your house you would find that the furniture and rugs are the biggest problems.
I grew up with wood and oil, I use wood/coal(soon to be all coal) and propane and my family has not had unusual respiratory problems.
Again, filter the info you get and use your head. Oh, by the way, you could use electric heat and have nothing being burned in your house. Just keep writing checks to the power companies! Good luck and have fun deciding.

Kevin

Well, I bet the air here in NJ is pretty toxic but since that is beyond my control, I'm just trying to control what I can control. I do understand that a little wood smoke shouldn't harm my kids but...in this house...it doesn't seem like a little wood smoke. The boiler is in the basement, yet when it is opened the smell of the smoke is pretty much as far as the 3rd floor of the house. If you can smell it, it certainly contains some toxic fumes as all smoke does. To me most of the time it doesn't even smell like the smell of wood burning, more like the smell of creosote I suppose. That's the best explanation I can come up with. Kinda burns your eyes a bit....definately not a good thing. Well, if we could afford it, I would use a different form of heat. I am home with the kids so there's no income on my end and hubby is the one paying the bills. Since I can't convince him to get rid of this boiler altogether as I would really would prefer, I'm just looking for an alternative. Perhaps coal is that alternative.

avarose · Post by **avarose** » Wed. Jan. 21, 2009 9:46 pm

Millworker wrote:Great question avarose. The fact you are asking means that you care. This also means that you will make sure the boiler is properly installed and vented, in which case you should have nothing to worry about.

With the coal you will have little/no smoke or smell. But are we talking about toxins here or odor? Just because something smells (garlic) doesn't mean it's toxic, and just because something does not smell (carbon monoxide) doesn't mean that it's not deadly.

Clearly, coal contains toxins, many being in the form of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, just to name a few. But the levels of metal will depend on the type of coal, geographic location where the coal was mined, the seam it was mined from etc. But heavy metals are everywhere, to put things in perspective many fish contain mercury, many paints were pigmented with lead oxide, wood is often treated with chromated copper aresenate (arsenic), and cadmium is in batteries. So, dose becomes important. The amount of metals in the coal, and the amount ingested (fly ash? coal dust?) or breathed in the form of vapor will contribute to dose. With proper installation and controls I would assume exposure would be negligible.

Thank you! Very valuable info!

Debbie

If you are really concerned, and want more than just opinions, have your childrens' blood tested to establish baseline levels of heavy metals. Then monitor over a period of time until you fell 100% confident there is no risk. You will have the data to prove your family is safe.

My 2 cents.

grizzly2 · Post by **grizzly2** » Thu. Jan. 22, 2009 6:42 pm

I love the smell of wood smoke and miss it (just not the labor that goes with it). There are many examples of people who grew up with wood and or coal stoves and furnaces, who lived very long and healthy lives. They also ate a lot of red meat. However, they did not spend many hours sitting in front of the computer or TV set. Make sure the kids are physically fit and active and the wood smoke of a proper heating unit will not hurt them at all unless they have that particular alergy.