Reasons I like coal

$100/ barrel again . I hope our economy can handle it ? Oh yea the oil companies are showing record profits again as well .

I just posted some reasons I like coal in my thread in the Handfired section.

But yeah, my in-laws house has/had (it is being replaced today per the new owner's) an 1000 gallon tank. At $3.25 a gallon that is $3,250 to fill it from 0 gallons. Their new tank will be 300 gallons and that is $975 from 0 gallons. And that is the cheapest for #2 that I've seen in my area. I'm sure there are more expensive places.

Cash price for heating oil in my area is $3.39 this morning. Reasons I like coal, and my coal boiler:

1. 50% savings.
2. Basement is warm and dry.
3. Unlimited domestic hot water.
4. Quiet operation.
5. If I spill some coal I just need a dust pan and broom for cleanup, no risk of explosion or contaminated water.
6. I can buy a years supply of coal all at once and store it.

-Rob

Wait till next week and check prices for heating oil . I will have to fill my oil tank for my tractor today before it gets crazy .

http://www.oil-price.net/

markviii wrote:Cash price for heating oil in my area is $3.39 this morning. Reasons I like coal, and my coal boiler:

1. 50% savings.
2. Basement is warm and dry.
3. Unlimited domestic hot water.
4. Quiet operation.
5. If I spill some coal I just need a dust pan and broom for cleanup, no risk of explosion or contaminated water.
6. I can buy a years supply of coal all at once and store it.

-Rob

# 5 is my favorite , I've said that a few times . If an oil tanker spills near a creek you get a disaster .If a coal truck spills near a creek you get a shovel.

Cost per Million BTU Calculations.
Fuel Type Fuel Unit Cost per Unit BTU per Unit Efficieny Cost per million BTU
Coal(bulk) Short Ton(2000 Lbs.) $ % $11.88
Coal(40lb. Bag) 40 lb. bag $ % $15.62
Coal(50lb. Bag) 50 lb. bag $ % $14.58
Wood Full Cord $ % $12.99
Wood Pellets Short Ton(2000 Lbs.) $ % $21.56
Corn Short Ton(2000 Lbs.) $ % $21.65
Fuel Oil No.2 Gallon $ 138,690 % $34.91
Electric kiloWatt-hour (kWh) $ 3,412 % $29.02
Natural Gas(Therm) Therm $ 100,000 % $07.88
Natural Gas(Mcf) Mcf (1000 cubic foot) $ 1,031,000 % $14.74
Propane Gallon $ 91,333 % $37.36
Kerosene Gallon $ 135,000 % $27.78

These are all current prices as of today... With exception of- coal 40/50# bags, corn, Natural gas Mcf, and kerosene... I did not input those values...

What also has to be remembered is for electric and natural gas there are no transmission/interstate/distribution/administrative charges/tax/etc....... added to the numbers above... So, in reality the costs are/will be greater in the end (getting the electric/fuel to your home) after adding these additional charges...

I think this chart speaks for itself...

Murdoc

I have a stoker in the basement that basically heats my entire house. My basement is about 80 degrees so I can wear shorts working in my basement workshop in the middle of winter. Our basement is dry with no musty smell. Our upstairs is about 70 all winter even if it is 5 degrees outside. I buy 6 tons of coal a year bagged. Lately I have been using 5 tons since I replaced some drafty windows. Best part is I am buying coal so a US coal company can provide jobs and though I still use oil for hot water, I am working to reduce or eliminate that.

Here's some of my reasons.

1. It's just plain cool using 300 million year old fuel.
2. No smoke out of my chimney.
3. No creosote or chimney fire worries.
4. You don't have to cut it, split it, stack it and move it 3 times.
5. No bugs in it.
6. If it gets wet, no problem for the most part.
7. It idles well if needed.
8. It makes weinie greenie liberals angry. (one of my favorites.)
9. It comes from right here in the USA.
10. It reminds me of when I was a kid. Grew up in a home with a coal furnace.

#'s 8 & 9 are my main reasons as well.

Over the last 5 years, I've saved 5 figures at least.




Maybe I can afford to fix this now? .......

No electricity
Nothing to do from 8 Am to 8 Pm
Easier to get bags inside than cords of wood, much cleaner
No smoke at the chimney
Anthracite comes from North America
The list could be endless...
nortcan

Reason #1; I like the fact that I am buying from a guy/guys working right there digging it out, Just like the guys up here in the gravel pits or stone quarries. That's alot like how I make my living.I work pretty hard for it.
Reason # 2; Not buying it from some jerk who wears a towel on his head and has 27 Bentlies or some major sports team owner. They have enough. They don't need mine!
Reason #3; This might sound weird but let me explain. I used to be big into hunting. Now you go out and every berk has to walk thru where I am hunting.A whole woods to hunt in. I used to be real into fishing. Now I catch a fish in a spot that took years to find and some jerk has to pull his boat 10' from mine and then call me a name when I give him crap. A whole lake to fish in. Now I'm into coal real big and besides this site, I'm really the only one around doing it. Ooops, forgot about getting all my neigbors and friends into it.
Reason #4; The tinkering with coal stuff. The mechanical, they trying to figure out a better way to do something, the bringing back something to life like restoring an old car or something.
Reason # 5; The fact that my 1960 piece of machine is still the best piece of machine made. Even with all the darn brainiacs out there. You would think someone would find a better way. It cracks me up to know that I heat my house with technology that was patented in 1908 or somewhere about there.
All the above; PRICELESS

I forget where I heard/read this quote, but any way. "Once you go black you won't go back" Yep it's true...

I don't recall that analogy relating to rocks

Sting, you need to get done with them floors & get into Town more often. then again, don't we all.