Anthracite lighting frustration

I'm a newbie. Lurked around your site for the past week after it cost me $700. to fill up my oil tank (I'm in Connecticut)- which will last me five, maybe six weeks. I can't be spending this kind of money every fillup. Tripled my insulation,--maybe that will help. There is also a 1980 "Home Heater" hand fired coal/wood furnace in the basement, from the prevous homeowner, which I never ran. Wanted to try anthracite to avoid wood chopping and schepping and the inevitable creosote chimney fire. Had the chimney sweeps in yesterday to clean out the 10 gallons of cresote they found in the system. I now have spent at least four or five hours starting wood fires, waiting for some wood coals to form, and then adding coal, and the material will not burn. It's like throwing rocks into a fire. Am very frustrated. Is there any easier way to do this??? -Kent

Well, first you need "draft". Try a newspaper rolled up to see how the chimney draws. After it has been determined that it should burn, I prefer "Matchlight charcoal" to get things going. A word of caution here, as the "Matchlight" will burn and create CO, whether you have a draft or not. ... chimney draft, no problem, no chimney draft, BIG problem!

The only draft you should have is from below the grates.

The basics is to first get a good wood coal fire going, stack the coal on about 2 or 3 inches deep. Once its lit fill the firebox up. Contol the amount of burn by the draft. You need a good bed of coal, lastly be patient, if you hear crackling its lighting but it can take a while to get going.

Where are you Kent?

Naugatuck Valley- Beacon Falls, CT. Thanks for the tips. Will try again with your advice in the next couple of days. -Kent