How to Use Coal Burning Stoves

More and more families are learning to use coal burning stoves to heat their homes. Coal is currently less expensive than wood bought by the cord, oil, electricity, and pellets, making it a very economical choice. If coal delivery is possible, using coal for home heat can be a great way to save money. After burning wood for several winters, my family recently switched to anthracite coal. It's not hard to use coal burning stoves -- here's how.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 
   Starting a fire

   Start a small fire with paper and kindling in the coal burning stove. Add some larger pieces of kindling as the smaller pieces burn. Once these have started to turn to wood coal, it's time to add the anthracite coal.

2. 
   Coal hod

   Scoop coal out of your coal hod and add one layer to the kindling fire. After this layer ignites and the coals begin to glow, you can add another layer. Don't add too much coal at once when the fire is first starting as you can suffocate the lit coals.

3. 
   Coal burning

   Keep the coal fire burning by adding coal every hour or two, depending on the fire's burn speed and room temperature. If you have one of the modern coal burning stoves with a hopper and automatic stoker-feed mechanism that adds coal and removes ash, you won't have to continually feed coal into the stove -- the stove will do that for you.

4. 
   Fire tools

   Rake the coals a few times a day to keep the fire burning evenly. Use a fire tool, such as a rake or poker, to do the job.

5. Adjust the air vents depending on desired temperature. Leave them open to increase combustion, and tighten them to slow down the burning. If you will be out for several hours, shut the air vents to keep the coal fire going until your return.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the ash tray is emptied when full.
• Keep air vents wide open when starting a fire in your coal burning stove. After the coals are lit and glowing, you can lessen the air intake if you wish the fire to burn more slowly.
• To keep the coal burning overnight, load it up layer by layer and close air vents once fire is established.
• Keep the hearth area clear of kindling, paper and debris for safety.
• Check fire alarms weekly and replace batteries monthly just in case.

Resources

• Imperial Mfg Group Black Fireplace Coal Hod & Shovel set
• Heat Resistant Leather Fireplace Gloves
• US Stove Company Caboose Potbelly Coal/ Wood Stove

[sherdav]

on 9/24/2009 How often do you recommend cleaning a coal stove?

[AuntieAndrea]

on 6/6/2009 We had a coal stove growing up.

[cherold598]

on 1/23/2009 Thanks for the tips and a very useful way to save money.