Did You Make the Right Decision?

 
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Wiz
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Location: Tannersville Pa
Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker Ka 6
Coal Size/Type: Casey Junk Coal :(

Post by Wiz » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 9:52 am

So you decided to burn coal as your main source of heat. As the days,years have gone by are you still happy with switching over to coal?


 
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Rob R.
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Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 10:05 am

$1600 spent this season instead of $5000...warm top to bottom...loving every minute of it.

 
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LsFarm
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Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260
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Baseburners & Antiques: Keystone 11, Art Garland

Post by LsFarm » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 10:22 am

The last time I heated my farm with propane, the cost of propane was around $1.10/gallon, today it's $2.20. and it's been as high as $2.90.
The last heating season using propane, the prebuy in October was $5500, [5000 gallons] and I had to buy another 1000 gallons to get through
the middle of May.
so that season cost $6600, today the same amount of propane would be $13200.00..

Each of the last three years, I've burnt roughly $2400 worth of coal each year.. this last season was probably around $1800...

So I couldn't be happier.. I do have to empty the ashpan every day or two in the winter, and fill the coal hopper each week or two,
but that labor is paying me around $500/hour for toting the ashpan and coal buckets.. I'm getting paid like a Lawyer to haul buckets !! :mad: :lol:

So yes definitely I made the right decision,
and I've got several years worth of coal stored,, to hedge the transportation costs [diesel fuel price increases] and coal price increases.

Greg L

 
stokerstove
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Post by stokerstove » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 10:28 am

One of the best decisions I ever made. Less than $700 spent on coal including delivery. Heats my domestic HW and a baseboard unit also. Average $100/mo. elec. bills in an all elec. house. I shudder to think what the cost would be w/o the coal. Back when I started w/ coal, comparable all elec. houses to mine were averaging $300/mo. during the heating season. Thankfully I never had one heating season in this house (built new in 1988) w/o wood or coal heat. The elec heat is turned off everywhere but the bathrooms where the wife likes it warmer.

I'll gladly put up with a little extra maint. for that kind of savings.

Stove is still running as its producing all my HW and takes the chill off on cool mornings....really hate when I have to shut the stove down and turn that damn elec. WH back on.

 
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freetown fred
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Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut

Post by freetown fred » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 12:05 pm

Never heated with anything but wood or coal & I gotta say, my back is real grateful for the change to coal.

 
JeepinPete
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Location: Quakertown PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM
Coal Size/Type: Rice

Post by JeepinPete » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 4:48 pm

We had a very mild winter in my parts. I burn a tank of oil in Dec, and another tank in Jan. The EFM went online in the beginning of Feb, and I burned a little over a ton that month. The next ton has gotten me through March, and will probably last through April. I paid 325/ton delivered, which is quite high, vs $600+ for a tank of oil. Won't take too many winters to pay off the heating system install at that rate, especially when I find a more reasonable price for coal :D

 
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stovepipemike
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Post by stovepipemike » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 4:57 pm

I can now keep the entire house at a comfortable temperature.The boiler has paid for itself in 3 1/2 years. Tending to the needs of the boiler has taken on the aspects of a hobby. I fetch my own coal,so that means I get to beautiful upstate Penna.for several one day excursions each heating season.Last but not least ,is the fact that I get to deny my greenbacks a visa to go to some location where they seem to hate Americans. Mike


 
coalnewbie
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Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: LL AnthraKing 180K, Pocono110K,KStokr 90K, DVC
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Invader 2
Baseburners & Antiques: Wings Best, Glenwood #8(x2) Herald 116x
Coal Size/Type: Rice,
Other Heating: Heating Oil CH, Toyotomi OM 22

Post by coalnewbie » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 5:28 pm

Love that coal! Three buildings on the farm and over 4000galls of HO per year pre coal. This year about 50 galls - hey, I gotta check that old oil thingmebobber (whatever it was called) still works in case of an emergency. Things that would qualify as a genuine emergency are .... hmm... say, the end of the world. NEVER goin' back.

 
Badog
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Post by Badog » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 5:40 pm

I bought about 41/2 ton this year based on last year and have about 1 ton+ left. At an average of 245 a ton to keep the house in the 70s vs. mid 60s on oil at 700 gallons a year I made the right decision. Now if I can only talk the wife into a boiler with heat exchanger. I have save enough in heating costs to cover the project but I spent it elsewhere :lol:

 
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lsayre
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Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 5:55 pm

Given that my only alternatives are wood, oil , propane, or electricity, I'm very happy to be burning coal. In my younger days I heated a house with wood, but I'm too old for that now.

Now if I had the choice of natural gas where I live I would have to consider it, and if it ever comes our way I would probably tie in a NG boiler as a back-up unit (mainly so I can replace my electric range/oven with a NG unit).

 
coalnewbie
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Location: Chester, NY
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: LL AnthraKing 180K, Pocono110K,KStokr 90K, DVC
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Invader 2
Baseburners & Antiques: Wings Best, Glenwood #8(x2) Herald 116x
Coal Size/Type: Rice,
Other Heating: Heating Oil CH, Toyotomi OM 22

Post by coalnewbie » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 5:59 pm

BTW, according to the town regs I must have a primary source of heat other than my AnthraKing etc. (all electric powered) and I need to comply as I am very keen on following the regs. So I bought a beat up old Hitzer 50-93 in case of a power emergency that I will install this summer. I mean we old folk need to be prepared. We do need new regulators.

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 6:02 pm

I'm very happy with the coal. Now that I have a coal fired boiler/central hot water heat, my house is the exact same temperature from one end, to the other. Thermostat set at 72 or 73 degrees. Tend it every 24 hours.

 
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coalkirk
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Stoker Coal Boiler: 1981 EFM DF520 retired
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Coal Size/Type: Lehigh anthracite/rice coal

Post by coalkirk » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 7:55 pm

It's a no brainer. Saves me about $2,500.-$3,000. per heating season over oil. Wrapping up the 9th season the savings just keep piling up. And it is most satisfying to know when I walk in the home from outside and its nice and toasty that it is all due to a very tiny coal fire in my basement. I don't want to jinx myself but that 9 seasons of heat has been trouble free as far as the equipment is concerned. I'm still using the original grates, blowers and feed motor. Even my vent pipes are original.

 
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I'm On Fire
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Post by I'm On Fire » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 8:04 pm

Well, I've got a hand fed but yes, I'm happier and made a great choice. The last time I filled my oil tank was I think the 2010-2011 heating season and it was close to $2k for the season. Last season was my first season burning coal and I spent around $1000 (5 ton) in coal. This season I spent around $900 on 3 ton of nut. I have 20 bags of coal left and have been buying a few bags of pea a week since the end of March until the season ends. I'm a pretty dumb guy, but switching to coal was one of my more intelligent decisions.

 
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Dennis
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Hand Fed Coal Boiler: AHS/WOC55-multi-fuel/wood,oil,coal
Coal Size/Type: Anthracite/stove size

Post by Dennis » Thu. Apr. 05, 2012 8:12 pm

Saving 50% to 60% over fuel oil.
My second season and my boiler will be half payed for.
Very little effort and mess to save $2500.00 a season.
Not only the right decision, but the BEST DECISION


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