Storing Loose Coal-Any Dangers?

Hi,

We have just installed and started up our new coal furnace recently and we love it! My husband has wanted to do this for a long time and he is very happy!

He bought and picked up 12 tons of loose coal in PA., and we are storing it in our basement as I write this. Should we have any worries about storing the coal like this? Any combustion issues? Other issues?

Thanks so much for any answers you may have for me! This is a great site!

R.

No worries...
Hard coal is about as dangerous as a glass of water...
Cats sometimes will use the coal bin as a litter box...

Thanks for the super fast answer. I can now sleep soundly tonight.

The coal he bought Rice Anthracite....and most of the 12 ton he bought is in the new coal bin in our basement already.

Coal rocks...no pun intended.
Thanks again.

That's about as dangerous as it gets. If you have an unwanted "spill" out of the bin somebody will have to get....a...shovel.

Thanks so much again!

Looks great! After I fill my bin I usually have some coal on the floor that "got away". I empty out my shop vac and use it to pick the coal up and then dump it into the bin.
You'll be warm this winter!

Welcome to coal! About the only danger is that someone with a quick smile will convince you it's dangerous to store it inside and as a good neighbor they will come remove it for you. So, yes, I suggest you give it away as quickly as possible and then buy it bag by bag as you need to fill the stove. <evil grin>

The only danger is that he will want to get more.........soon.

Bit coal can be dangerous and can spontaneously combust.

The explosion on the battleship Main that led to the Spanish American war has been attributed to a coal explosion.

Josef Conrad also told a great story of a tramp ship that had a fire in one of the holds for several weeks and eventually destroyed the ship.

If you search the Coal bin Pics thread, you can see many of us have bins in the basement for storing our coal. Makes loading much easier.

Enjoy!

COAL BIN Pics

franco b wrote:Bit coal can be dangerous and can spontaneously combust.

What's great about anthracite is that your house can burn to the ground and your cellar full of anthracite will still be there ready to heat it for you.

Here is a picture of my coal bin I built it the first of Nov I also have some pictures of my memco modifacations which I will send later when It is done I can thank McGiever with alot of good advice on the memco It should be running by this weekend

coaledsweat wrote: What's great about anthracite is that your house can burn to the ground and your cellar full of anthracite will still be there ready to heat it for you.

That's funny

coalburnerswife wrote:Thanks so much again!

The bin looks great. Any pictures of the EFM?

Very few types of bit coal are prone to any kind of spontaneous combustion. Of the few coals that are they require just the right amount of moisture, very fine sizes, and large amounts of coal stored. NONE of this will be encountered in any residential or commercial heating situation.

The only coals that are prone to this on any significant scale are subbit coals due to their moisture content and propensity to break down while in storage into fine sizes. Even these coals would require a most extraordinary circumstance to produce spontaneous combustion in any type of small commercial or residential setting; you're probably more likely to be hit by lightning.