Coal Burning Safety

I have been wondering why a bucket of ashes couldn't be used to throw in the stove, seems like that would do a good job of smothering the fire?

New York Bear wrote:I have been wondering why a bucket of ashes couldn't be used to throw in the stove, seems like that would do a good job of smothering the fire?

Coal fires routinely burn through ash. It may eventualy work but I believe sand woiuld be a better choice.

I suppose, this post could be here or in the "dumbest things you've done" thread.

All winter, I've been carrying coal from my little building out back, into the house and down to my basement room, where the stove resides. All winter my shoes have had snow or ice on them, and I've said to myself, "be careful, your shoes might be slippery on the steps". .... no problems!

The snow is nearly all gone and the other night it was raining out. I went for my load of coal, wearing a pair of shoes, which I don't wear too often. I came in, and half way down the stairs, my foot slipped off the step and I "went A$$ over tin cups" ! I didn't damage myself too much, but I did have 32 pounds of coal all over the steps and floor. I will get some of those "anti-skid" strips, even though tacky looking, on the steps.

Burning "Coal" can create some safety issues. So, take a look around and get rid of the combustibles on the shelf above the stove, be careful of the steps, etc..

Glad you're alright Dallas. Is there no way of having something installed in a basement window where you could go out and just feed it through the window and then just walk inside your house take your wet boots off put on some dry shoes and go down stairs and feed the stove?

I guess, I could put it into the other, unfinished, portion of the basement, but for the time being, it isn't bad where it is. A little more caution, might help. If I ever decide to get more serious, with a stoker or whatever, then I'd get it into the basement.

Even if you put in a small bin in the unfinished section of the basement it might even save you some trips out side in the dead of winter?

You aren't alone,, last week after a thaw/freeze, the shop yard had several patches of ice.. Then we had a few inches of snow... I was walking from the boiler building to the shop with two [luckily empty] 5-gallon buckets, when I found one of the ice patches under the layer of snow... and down I went, buckets flying, snow flying, me skidding...

Luckily I didn't wrench my back, like I usually do when I take a tumble like that... just bruised my butt and ego... could have been a lot worse..

Greg L

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Baking soda is one of the very few things that actually puts out a fire by chemical reaction.

I figured with many of us lighting our stoves now, this would be a good time to re-post this story:


I had a scary incident about 4 years ago with my old (bought used) Dutchwest Federal stove. I had just shaken the stove down & had a full charge of fresh coal loaded. I still had the ash door open & a roaring fire going( with the ash pan still about 1/2 way out )when I heard a sickening crunch. One of the shaker grates had broken & part had fallen into & jammed the ashpan in its 1/2 open position. (one end was still attached to the stove while the broken end had dropped down into the ash pan)
I couldn't push the pan back or pull it out & thus I had no way of closing the ash door! Panic time!! I tried to figure out how I could starve the stove from getting air but, with the stove temp climbing off the scale, I had my wife cal the fire dept who helped me unload the hot coal into a barrel out back. (while I was waiting for the FD to arrive..just about 10 minutes...I opened the top load door figuring that this would lessen the draft through the coals. I think it did slow it down bit)
If things were happening slower I would have shoveled sand onto the fire & into the ash door opening until it starved the fire of air...but I didn't think of that till later. (+ I had no sand available...I now keep a barrel of sand out back!)

Just wanted to ask a question, as the safety angle always raises flags. I am in the process of installing a A-350 Keystoker in my basement as my primary (only) fuel source. I work from 7:00 AM to about 3:00 AM, and no one is home during the day. Should that be a problem with safety? It is a large capacity hopper, and as long as that is full, I wouldn't expect any hopper fires or other dangers in the basement.

Art, nothing is fool-proof or entirely 100% safe and I'm sure you're well aware of that, but your stove along with others in common use today have strong records of safe operation. Like you said " full hopper", I always make sure I have enough in the hopper everytime I leave my house.

My parents house burned to the ground 4yrs ago (2 weeks before Christmas) they lost everything. The very thought of a FIRE in my house scares the living crap out of me.

I'm sorry to hear that about your parent's house. What was the cause? Anything furnace related?

How and where are you installing the smoker thermometer ?

Jack Magnum wrote:How and where are you installing the smoker thermometer ?

I just slide a probe (only need to use one) through one of the little air vents towards the top of the side baffles so it stays in place. That we it reads pretty much what the mag stack thermo reads.( I have the low alarm set to 125* & the high for close to the highest setting...I think around 450* but I'd have to look)

I have an old Franco (30 years old) that I have installed just outside my fire place. I used a 6 ft stainless steel flex pipe through the heatelator (after cutting out an air pipe) Then I stuffed insulationg around the flexpipe to seal and prevent room air escaping up the chimney. The chimney is a rectanguar clay flue (I think it is 10X8 ") in good shape.
Problem: The stove runs great at outside temps of 30 F or less but once 35-40 it will go out especially if it is raining. Clearly I do not have enough draft. What could it be from? Do I need to go to a chimney liner (6 "SS)? OR are there other things I can try that would remedy the problem for less $? Also does anyone know a link to a draft meter so I can purchase one? Or do they sell air intake regulators that will open the door if the temp goes too low?

Cool in upstate NY