How Many Folks Burning Coal in Maine ?

Hard to say if they will get in this forum, probably not, but I have converted several in this area. My plumbing & heating guy, one of his employees, my business partner, and of course, Spidey, who is actively participating in the Biasi debate. IF the prices stay reasonable and supply is good, many more will join.

Kevin

Kevin, I know of two brand new Biasi 105K units if anyone needs one. Buying bulk yet, guys?

We are burning coal in an antique kitchen cook stove. We used to burn it in a old Glenwood parlor base-burner stove also, but I am currently restoring that stove. We have always used anthracite nut coal. In December 2011, we just paid $165 for a 1/2 ton ($320/ton) of anthracite Blaschak nut coal in 40 lb bags. I picked it up and the supplier (Alternative Heating Solutions in Freeport, Maine) loaded it onto my truck with his fork lift. The supplier is Alternative Heating Solutions in Freeport.

FYI
Assuming you had a 75% efficient coal burning stove and were paying $330/ton for the coal (which we are), you would be paying $17.60/milllion BTUs. If you were burning No.2 fuel oil in a 83% efficient furnace or boiler, and were paying $3.30/gallon (which we are), you would be paying $28.69/milllion BTUs. If you do the math, burning No.2 fuel oil costs $11/million BTUs more than coal. It gets much worse if you are burning propane. However, burning seasoned hardwood (oak) in a 65% efficient stove, and assuming you paid $150/chord when it was green, you would only be paying $8.86/million BTUs.

Gene

This is our 2nd year of buying from Dysarts. We had them deliver to Skowhegan- 4 ton plus deliv. charge. I just cant remember what the final tally was,but it sure was better than beating our truck up and saved us 4 trips-plus a considerable amount of time.Nice people to do business with. Still quite a bit less for us anyways,when the oil spiked on us. Thats why we ended up going with coal/occasional wood. Just took out our Vermont Castings woodstove,will sell it, replacing it with a Comfort Stove this season,as we prefer coal to wood,but we can burn both if needed. Hubby has the "Comfort" all apart and getting refurbished before bringing it in. This wont be our final resting stove though. Waiting for our "Chubby" to come along with a top vent...all in due time,patience....

Yep I get bulk deliveries Whistlenut. I'm just down the road a bit from Kev. We have seen quite a few more people converting to coal. It's tough up here because most are dyed in the wool woodburners who look at you like yer crazy or just say Ohh ayup my great gardfather burned coal as I recall??? My supplier does a custom mix for me. This year it will be 4 tons stove and 2 tons nut in a bulk load. Both the Glenwood's (kitchen cook and parlor MO116) like stove, but I mix the nut in mostly for the 208C cookstove.

sterling40man wrote:There are at least 50 of us in the Saint John Valley that burn the black gold. Everyone I talk to says they love it. Coal is cheaper here than downstate.

LOL make that 51 in the valley

Sledge, My father in law lives in Van Buran and sometimes gives me the local coal prices. Boy you are right, I live in bangor and most of the time you are around 50 bucks cheeper than we are.

sledge42 wrote:LOL make that 51 in the valley

Glad to hear it! Where you getting your coal?

sterling40man wrote:

sledge42 wrote:LOL make that 51 in the valley

Glad to hear it! Where you getting your coal?

morin farms 300 a ton

sledge42 wrote:morin farms 300 a ton

Me too.....PM sent.

sterling40man wrote:

sledge42 wrote:morin farms 300 a ton

Me too.....PM sent.

LOL so far the best place to get it

2nd season with a KA-6 Fairfield.

I have been burning coal on and off in the Waldo County area for the past 20 years, and have met a few more coal burners in that time...some in the mid-coast and some up in the county. We tend to be few and far between it seems, and as I get older, it seems more and more places are no longer selling coal.

NoSmoke wrote:... it seems more and more places are no longer selling coal.

That's a bit of a worry. I bought this year from a dealer about 25 miles away. But I'm thinking I should go back to the local dealer who was only a few dollars higher, just to keep him in business.

Yeah it is a concern.

When I started out 20 years ago burning coal, I was able to buy it by the bag or by the ton, and any type of coal mind you; down in Belfast at Consumers Fuel. A nice coal shed right on the picturesque bay that had been selling coal for a century or so. That closed up, as did Spring Brook Ice and Fuel in Waterville; though they sold a more limited variety of coal compared to the place in Belfast. Now both places still are open and sell fuel oil, but not coal.

I thought about proposing to the State Planning Office to get a web page up of places in which to buy coal since it is getting harder to find. I know they cannot promote any company, but a list of locations would be nice because I am not completely satisfied with where I am getting it now...inconsistent quality.