Hello All! Anybody From Iowa a Coal Burner? First Post Here!

moresnow · Post by **moresnow** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 5:40 pm

I am on the verge of replacing a small Century s244 wood stove. I actually came across this site today by accident and have been glued to it since! I have a small story and a half farmhouse in the country. Main floor is a whole 750 sq ft. One bedroom upstairs that recieves heat through a ancient floor grate (works well). My insulation value is basically 0 as the old house has no insulatiion in the walls. I did re- side the place with vinyl over 5/8" foil backed foam board. Also replaced all the windows. The house will be remodeled during the next few years. The house actually heats rather easy with my non cat 1.5 cu. ft. wood stove. I just cant take the constant reloading it requires! I have my eye on a new Woodstock brand wood stove. I'd really like to know if anybody in my neck of the woods burns coal? I read a thread here descibing a member burning a bit of wood with a covering of coal which sounds interesting as well. Any reason for me to look into a stove that can burn coal as well as wood? Our coal mines in Iowa closed years ago. I have actually worked on re-claiming several of them! Any info you guys can get me would be appreciated. I am in NE Iowa.

grumpy · Post by **grumpy** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 5:54 pm

Welcome

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 6:05 pm

Welcome to the forum. Tractor Supply Company has been selling anthracite coal. You should be able to order it through them, or one near you may have some in stock right now with very good sales going at this time.

Stoves that burn both types of fuel (wood and coal) will be lacking in one or the other, they are built to be a 'compromise'. And usually it is the coal burning side where they lack. You will need something with shaker grates of some sort in order to burn coal and clear the ash.

I'm sure other members will chime in soon. Until then, peruse the threads, there is a lot of info on this site. But read this thread first, it will help you understand: Basics of a Hand Fired Coal Stove

nortcan · Post by **nortcan** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 6:10 pm

Welcome to the forum moresnow.

moresnow · Post by **moresnow** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 7:31 pm

Thanks for the replies guys.

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 8:36 pm

Welcome! You have another member in your area of IA, Im across the border, barely, in MN. A couple close by in WI, and a couple to the west of you, so no, you are not alone here.

You can pretty much forget about bit coal here unless you find some in a shed or basement. It costs about the same as athracite for good soft coal here. Anthracite is available at TSC or ask nearby Amish as a lot of them burn it.

My advise, forget about the combo stove and get a real coal stove. You can burn wood in most of them, just not very efficient. Once you figure out how to burn anthracite you wont want to burn wood anymore anyway. Around $150/month, give or take $20, should heat with coal thru the coldest months, mid-November until mid March. Tending twice a day is all it takes if you get a big enough stove.

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 8:40 pm

I thought in Iowa everyone burned corn and went to work riding pigs ?

Kidding & welcome.

[but I'm right, right?]

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 9:39 pm

davidmcbeth3 wrote:I thought in Iowa everyone burned corn and went to work riding pigs ?

Kidding & welcome.

[but I'm right, right?]

No david..........You ain't right, but that's a topic for the 'health' section of the forum?

moresnow · Post by **moresnow** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 10:35 pm

I thought in Iowa everyone burned corn and went to work riding pigs ?

Kidding & welcome.

[but I'm right, right?]

Ummmm. Guess every forum has one of these guys..... Can't say I have ever heard or seen anyone ride a swine? Perhaps you have intimate knowledge/past experience in this area? [am I right, right?]

We do happen to have friends, that do indeed heat there home with a corn burner. It works well. It also helps that they own a seed corn company!

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 11:03 pm

Better 1/2 right than no right !

You can call some of the coal manufacturers for distributors near ya.

I see a Reading coal dist in IL...
http://readinganthracite.com/dealer-directory/

there are others ... you might burn bit too?

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Fri. Mar. 25, 2016 11:59 pm

moresnow wrote:I thought in Iowa everyone burned corn and went to work riding pigs ?

Kidding & welcome.

[but I'm right, right?]

Ummmm. Guess every forum has one of these guys..... Can't say I have ever heard or seen anyone ride a swine? Perhaps you have intimate knowledge/past experience in this area? [am I right, right?]

We do happen to have friends, that do indeed heat there home with a corn burner. It works well. It also helps that they own a seed corn company!

It wouldnt surprise me if he does have knowledge of swine riding

Corn burners do work well and if the corn price is low it is affordable to burn. Kind of a neat smell too. Seriously, you will likely enjoy coal burning in an un-insulated home, especially compared to feeding a wood stove. There isn't too much comparison between the two for comfort.

moresnow · Post by **moresnow** » Sat. Mar. 26, 2016 12:21 am

That is what I am here to learn about. Anybody have any recommendations for a make/model stove's that I can research? Currently I have a corner install in my living room. Works fine and gives everyone a nice view while relaxing. There is a possibility for a central install using the original masonry chimney (need to remove a load bearing wall between the kitchen and living room first).

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Sat. Mar. 26, 2016 1:29 am

moresnow wrote:That is what I am here to learn about. Anybody have any recommendations for a make/model stove's that I can research? Currently I have a corner install in my living room. Works fine and gives everyone a nice view while relaxing. There is a possibility for a central install using the original masonry chimney (need to remove a load bearing wall between the kitchen and living room first).

You can look at the Hitzer web site ...

http://www.hitzer.com/products/stove/Model-50_93-E_Z-Flo-Hopper-Stove/

You'll need to provide more information if you wish specific stove recommendations with such info as:

a) size of place you wish to heat, sqft?
b) want fans with the stove ?
c) there are nicer looking "antique" looking stoves or stoves meant to "do the work" although both can heat your home
d) looking for new or used? Or open to both.
e) want one with or without a hopper or open to either?
f) want a stoker?
g) general info on you knowledge of stoves and stove types

Plenty of folks willing to share.

moresnow · Post by **moresnow** » Sat. Mar. 26, 2016 6:53 am

A) Main floor is a whole 750 sq ft. One bedroom upstairs that receive's heat through a ancient floor grate (works well). Basement is uninsulated with concrete block foundation and concrete floor. We have laundry and our shower down there (both to be moved to the first floor soon). Middle of winter it hovered around 56F with a small electric heater running 24/7. Makes for very quick showers! My insulation value is basically 0 as the old house has no insulation in the walls. I did re- side the place with vinyl over 5/8" foil backed foam board. Also replaced all the windows. The house will be remodeled/insulated original 2x4 walls during the next few years.

B) My current stove has a fan. Not really a must have item but I feel it does help transfer heat.
C) I am open to a "antique" or a "do the work" style.
D) Open to both new or used (found this site researching VC Vigilants actually)
E) Open. Need to look at both styles for a opinion!
F) Must admit I am too green to anthracite/coal burning to know the definition of "stoker" !
G) I feel rather well read on wood stoves/types but never really researched the coal types at all. Just being honest!

a) size of place you wish to heat, sqft?
b) want fans with the stove ?
c) there are nicer looking "antique" looking stoves or stoves meant to "do the work" although both can heat your home
d) looking for new or used? Or open to both.
e) want one with or without a hopper or open to either?
f) want a stoker?
g) general info on you knowledge of stoves and stove types

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Sat. Mar. 26, 2016 7:07 am

A 'stoker' is an automatic feed coal stove. You dump the dry coal into the hopper, and basically set it and forget it. Here is a link to one brand of stoker:
[Link Removed]

You've already seen some of the antique stoves, if you've been looking thru the 'hand fed' section here on the forum. And David already pointed out the hitzer stoves, the 50-93 has a big following on the forum. The Hitzer 82 furnace has a good following also if you wanted to go that route.