Looking to Get Into Coal Burning!

Starting Out · Post by **Starting Out** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 6:02 pm

I'm new to the forum, however I have been looking at the forum for a few weeks. I really like the info provided from the group. I have a 2400 sq. ft bi level home. Unfinished concrete block basement 1200sq. ft. The coldest it gets is about 45 down there. Upper level is 1200 sq. ft. Low-e windows, 2x6 walls, and extra insulation in the attic. It's well insulated. I use about 400 gal. of oil from Sep. to April. Electric hot water heater for summer. I have hot water baseboard radiation for heat. I want to install either the Keystoker Koker Lite, or the Reading Juniata model. I want to leave my basement door open to the up stairs. I want to come off the top of the stove with a pipe and aim it to my upper level. This is something I want to do so I don't have to use the oil in the winter. First of all which stove would be best, and second will my idea of the open door and the pipe aiming to the upper level work? If possible I really don't want to put any registers in the floor. Looking forward to you're answers. Thank You!

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 6:13 pm

Since you have hot water baseboards a coal boiler would be ideal for you.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 6:32 pm

welcome,bi-levels are hard to distribute even heat in every room.It might be best to have a boiler to hook into your existing oil boiler,then you would have every room evenly heated and the basement would be in the 70 degrees.Keep reading and learning and welcome again.

Starting Out · Post by **Starting Out** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 7:16 pm

I realize a boiler would be my best way to go since I already have baseboard that is zoned off into 3 zones. If it was only my decision I would jump at it. The problem is I really don't want to depend fully on coal all year. I'm pushing 60yrs old, although that's not old, should something happen to me, my wife won't be able to take care of it. I just want to direct vent a stoker through the block that at any time can be removed and replace the block and it's back the way it came.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 7:24 pm

If you have room, you can pipe the oil boiler and coal boiler together. Always good to have a backup heat source. Do you have central air conditioning?

Starting Out · Post by **Starting Out** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 7:28 pm

Carbon 12, I don't have central air, and I only have one chimney, flue lined, right in the center of my basement going up through my house. The house was built in 1990, we had it stick built.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 7:34 pm

I installed a coal boiler next to my oil hot air furnace. I only have one flu. I de energized the oil burner, disconnected one length of smoke pipe and slipped the coal smoke pipe into the flu. If I ever need the oil, I simply disconnect the coal smoke pipe ( after the fires out, of course) re connect the oil smoke pipe and energize the oil burner. 5 minutes, tops.

Post by **franco b** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 7:36 pm

What is usually recommended is to power vent the oil boiler and use the chimney for the coal boiler.

Doing as you suggest will waste heat in the basement and also you will notice very strong drafts of return air going back to the stove.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 7:37 pm

The stoves will put out enough heat for your house. Getting the heat to the whole house might be a problem. You have to have return air circulating back to the stove for effective heating. The open basement door may work, but it might be unsatisfactory. You may have to cut some floor vents,...for supply and return.

Starting Out · Post by **Starting Out** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 8:22 pm

If I cut maybe two floor vents for supply, then what do I do for returns? I'm new to this so please bear with me on this. Thanks for you're patience.

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Thu. Feb. 20, 2014 10:23 pm

Starting Out wrote:If I cut maybe two floor vents for supply, then what do I do for returns? I'm new to this so please bear with me on this. Thanks for you're patience.

In most situations, it is more important to have the registers set up as the returns. Then the heat would flow up the stairs and down the hallways into the bedrooms since the returns are sucking the cold air back to the stove.

But as was mentioned, a coal boiler hooked up along side the oil burner would be the ideal setup. They do make hopper and bin supplied boilers. My wife can handle taking care of our AA 260 since it is bin fed. She does take the ashes out daily. Plus with a boiler, you would have plenty of hot water while burning the coal.

Rick

Post by **dcrane** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 6:03 am

Depending on the age/efficiency of your current boiler you might want to consider something like a WL-110 http://leisurelinestoves.com/boiler-and-furnace-p ... ducts.html

oliver power · Post by **oliver power** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 6:55 am

Boiler......... I've never regretted my coal fired boiler for heating the house.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 7:17 am

When you cut the returns, it's important to extend a length of duct down from the basement ceiling at least a foot or even better yet, to near the floor of the basement. This will ensure cold air actually drops down rather than warm air simply rising from the vents.

katman · Post by **katman** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 8:00 am

Look hard at the boilers. I'm over 60 and was faced with similar considerations. I ended up with a pellet boiler (after buying a nice rebuilt EFM) because my wife decided she wouldn't handled the coal and ashes. Tied it into my oil system and it has been heating my whole house perfectly. I'm planning on retiring and selling the place so if the buyer doesn't want the pellet boiler it can be easily removed. Plus, the oil boiler can be brought back into service at any time with the flick of a switch. If I am going to be away for several days I can switch the house to oil.