The Cold Snap Hit My Coal Hard.

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:10 am

I put 1200 lbs. of coal in the basement on Saturday afternoon. As of Wednesday evening I had used all of that 1200 lbs. and then some.

That's some serious shoveling into a Clayton.
How much have others used?

NWBuilder · Post by **NWBuilder** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:16 am

I have been going through about 100 lbs a day while temps have not gotten out of the teens. 1200 lbs in 5 days seems excessive but I have no idea what you are heating, could be spot on!!

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:20 am

I went through 1 full hopper of coal in 2 and a half days. About 375 pounds.

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:24 am

NWBuilder wrote:I have been going through about 100 lbs a day while temps have not gotten out of the teens. 1200 lbs in 5 days seems excessive but I have no idea what you are heating, could be spot on!!

Roughly 3, 000 sq. ft. of living area. I didn't include the basement.

Post by **ONEDOLLAR** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:29 am

We went through 350-400lbs since Jan 1st. 7 bags plus what was already in the Chubby and the Crawford. I would say we used about 100 or so pounds more than usual when both stoves are pumping. Not too bad I think considering how cold it was and the house was as warm as we wanted it. 70-75 range.

NWBuilder · Post by **NWBuilder** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:38 am

SWPaDon wrote:
NWBuilder wrote:I have been going through about 100 lbs a day while temps have not gotten out of the teens. 1200 lbs in 5 days seems excessive but I have no idea what you are heating, could be spot on!!
Roughly 3, 000 sq. ft. of living area. I didn't include the basement.

Wow are you leaving the windows open?? That seems like a lot of coal. 100 lbs a day is more then I like and I am heating 2000 square feet. I have 13 year old construction and I know how well insulated the place is so that makes a huge difference. You might consider trying to tighten things up a bit if possible.

hcarlow · Post by **hcarlow** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:47 am

I have gone through 680 lbs. as of Jan 1 , the most I have ever used in that time period . I am only heating about 1300 sq. ft. in a 24 yr. old construction , in an open windy area .

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 8:55 am

NWBuilder wrote: Wow are you leaving the windows open?? That seems like a lot of coal. 100 lbs a day is more then I like and I am heating 2000 square feet. I have 13 year old construction and I know how well insulated the place is so that makes a huge difference. You might consider trying to tighten things up a bit if possible.

I have an old plank style house. No insulation in the walls, just 1 inch thick foam board under the siding. House has original cloth wiring. there is 12 inches of insulation in the attic though

JimD · Post by **JimD** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 9:02 am

I figure around 550 lbs since Jan 1st. yeah we had those -15 temps and days in the single digits too... but here in Ma. its going to warm up for a week ... hopefully we can slow down on the usage...

1200 in 4 days ? WOW

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 9:05 am

His bitty might be less BTU's than our anthracite - that would certainly account for more coal used. Imagine how many PELLETS it would take to heat that house!

I'm on anthracite - on the coldest night I went through 40 lbs. in roughly 10 hours. Don't think the stoker shut off once during that time either. Was -5.5°.

NWBuilder · Post by **NWBuilder** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 9:06 am

SWPaDon wrote:
NWBuilder wrote: Wow are you leaving the windows open?? That seems like a lot of coal. 100 lbs a day is more then I like and I am heating 2000 square feet. I have 13 year old construction and I know how well insulated the place is so that makes a huge difference. You might consider trying to tighten things up a bit if possible.
I have an old plank style house. No insulation in the walls, just 1 inch thick foam board under the siding. House has original cloth wiring. there is 12 inches of insulation in the attic though

Well that explains a lot, attic insulation is good but 1 inch on the walls is tough. Wow, my buddy heats with wood and he just insulates each room as he remodels. He lives in a farm house built in 1826. His curtains blow when the wind blows!!! He goes through 16 to 18 cord a year in an outdoor boiler. Crazy!!!!

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 9:08 am

Ours did the same until we started putting that shrinkable plastic over them. These are the newfangled modern plastic dual-pane wonders too. Total junk ...

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 9:10 am

SMITTY wrote:His bitty might be less BTU's than our anthracite - that would certainly account for more coal used. Imagine how many PELLETS it would take to heat that house!

I'm on anthracite - on the coldest night I went through 40 lbs. in roughly 10 hours. Don't think the stoker shut off once during that time either. Was -5.5°.

Imagine the cost if I was still using my oil furnace. I purchased it brand new, used it for 1 year, then oil started rising rapidly. I switched to all coal after that.

When I first purchased the house, it had electric baseboard heat.

JimD · Post by **JimD** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 9:14 am

SWPaDon wrote:
SMITTY wrote:His bitty might be less BTU's than our anthracite - that would certainly account for more coal used. Imagine how many PELLETS it would take to heat that house!

I'm on anthracite - on the coldest night I went through 40 lbs. in roughly 10 hours. Don't think the stoker shut off once during that time either. Was -5.5°.
Imagine the cost if I was still using my oil furnace. I purchased it brand new, used it for 1 year, then oil started rising rapidly. I switched to all coal after that.

Have you ever had anyone quote you on blowing in insulation in the walls? or new windows or something... in the long run it may pay ! sounds like you go through a whole heck of an amount of fuel dollars each year !!

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Thu. Jan. 09, 2014 9:17 am

Closed cell spray foam is the way to go ... but boy it it EXPENSIVE!! It's an R-7 per INCH though - can't beat that!

Yeah we'd be paying about $4,500 per season to heat with oil, all while freezing our asses off at 58°. NO THANKS!!