Starting A Coal Fire

We live in a fairly hot place. We get little snow and have cool winters. Occasionally it gets real cold. We heat with a wood stove and have for over 30 years. I've always wanted to try coal but could never find it. That makes sense, very few people would have use for coal where we live. We were at a country type feed store where I saw 50 pound bags of coal. I bought 4 and when I got home and showed my wife she wanted more. We went back to the store and they showed us what they had. These bags were in sad shape and were starting to deteriorate. They wern't going to sell this stuff and were going to have to dispose of it. We asked what kind of deal we could get if we bought it all. They gave us a really good deal and we took it all off their hands. We've been using it for the past two years and love the extra heat it gives us and how it lasts! Plus, if you think about it, you can store this stuff in a pile outside and it will never go bad or deteriorate. It comes from the ground! We store ours in 55 gallon drums and it is part of our fuels storage. I thought someone out there might be interested in how to use it. Coal fires are not as easy to start as wood fires and the ease of burning will vary with different types and makes of stoves. The burning of coal requires patience and a specific and regular procedure of loading, shaking, adjusting, etc. If you do not follow the right procedure the coal fire will go out. This can happen in a short period of time and once the extinction process has begun, it is almost impossible to reverse. 1. In this article: Starting a Coal Fire Additional Tips on Starting Raking and Shaking your Stove Maintenance Safety First STARTING A COAL FIRE 1. Use paper and dry kindling to start the fire. 2. Add small pieces of hardwood when fire is burning hot. Keep the draft control fully open till a hot fire is established. 3. When a decent bed of red wood embers is built up, start adding coal—small amounts at a time. Keep the draft control open!! 4. Continue adding small amounts of coal until there is a 1” to 2” bed of burning coal. Don’t add too much coal at one time and allow sufficient time between each small loading for the coal in the stove to thoroughly ignite. 5. It is important at this point to fill the stove to the highest level possible. A deep bed of coal is critical for the proper function of all coal stoves. Since coal can be regulated better than wood, a deep bed does not mean that you can only run the stove hot - rather you can control the stove by setting the air control on your stove. 6. After all the coal has been ignited and is burning with a blue flame, then the draft control can be turned down. Serious damage can result if the stove is run wide open for extended periods of time. Make sure that the ash pan door is closed at all times. CAUTION—DON’T ATTEMPT TO START COAL FIRES UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE FALLS BELOW 55 DEGREES ON A 24 HOUR A DAY BASIS-YOUR CHIMNEY WILL NOT DEVELOP ENOUGH DRAFT UNLESS OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW THIS. ADDITIONAL HINTS ON STARTING 1. Some users have tried MATCHLIGHT CHARCOAL to light their coal stoves—also some brands of SOLID charcoal starter (royal oak, minute light) will do the job. This eliminates the mess of wood. Just spread the charcoal out until it barely covers the grate and put a small amount of coal on top don’t cover the charcoal completely!! Light the charcoal - OPEN AIR CONTROLS 100% and when the coal is burning with a blue flame add more coal as before. Never use liquid starters on a coal or woodstove….starters with large quantities of wax or softwood in them may not burn hot enough. 2. Always make sure that your chimney is drafting upward before you start your stove. Some chimneys have a tendency to reverse while not in use. In most cases the following procedure will start the chimney : Place a small piece of newspaper as far up in your stove or chimney as possible and light it. When it burns and gets pulled up the chimney-then light the coal fire. 3. Never poke or stir the coal fire when starting or at any other time. Coal fires like to be left alone and many former wood burners tend to fool around with their coal fires, thereby putting them out!!! RAKING AND SHAKING YOUR STOVE Shaking should be done at least twice a day and as many as sixtimes if the stove is being run at high outputs. Shake only with a hot stove. If the fire is very low and you must de-ash the grates follow the following procedure: 1. Open draft control and damper fully. 2. Shake or rake fire slightly to encourage air flow thru the fire. 3. Add more coal if needed. When fire is burning well then shake thoroughly. Best results will occur if short choppy strokes are used rather than long even strokes.The amount of shaking or raking is critical. Too little or too much can extinguish a fire. The proper job has been done when red coals first start to drop through the grate. Always allow some ash to remain on the grate as this will extend their service life. MAINTENANCE Ashes should never be allowed to accumulate in the ash pit. This can impede the flow of combustion air into the fire. Excess ash in the pan can cause the fire to go out and also cause severe damage to your grates. Inspect the replaceable parts of your stove (glass, gasketing, grates, etc.) often to determine if they need to be replaced. Glass can be cleaned (when cool). If the glass is extra dirty, MR. MUSCLE brand oven cleaner will do the job. Coal does not produce creosote, so chimney fires are not a concern. It does, however, produce a fly ash which can clog elbows or heat exchangers. Inspect any area of your stove where you suspect this may have happened and vacuum if needed. Since coal residue contains sulfur, the stovepipe and chimney systems tend to deteriorate much faster than when burning wood. Be sure to check the pipe at least once every six months to determine if it has corroded. Replace if it shows signs of rusting through or if it can be penetrated with the point of a pocket knife. SAFETY FIRST Use caution when loading your stove. Always open the door or hatch slowly so as to allow oxygen to enter and burn any combustible gases that are present. Failure to do this could result in"mini explosions” (sudden ignition of unburned gases). With the exception of the start-up period, an ash door should never be left open. Serious damage from overheating can result. Coal stoves should only be used with chimneys that provide a strong and constant draft. If you have followed the advice given in this article, then you probably have it licked. If any problems persist, follow these steps: 1. Make sure you are using low ash high-quality coal. Low heat output, large ash accumulation and difficulty of overnight burning are signs of bum coal. Try buying a bag or two at a different place. 2. Chimney problem—if you suspect that your draft is too strong then a barometric or manual damper should be installed. If your draft is too weak, try the following: Chimney may not be warm enough. Try a hotter fire. Seal all pipe joints and leaks in the chimney system. Check outside clean-out doors and fireplace sealing plates.—-increase height of chimney—-line chimney with stainless steel pipe—-install a draft increasing cap—-make sure all heat exchangers and manifolds on your stove are clean—Fly ash accumulation in these areas can restrict your chimney. There you have it. Being prepared means being ready for all things. Fuel storage and how to use that fuel is an important part of being prepared. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn