Looking for Ideas for Indoor Coal Furnance

Ernie B · Post by **Ernie B** » Tue. Sep. 02, 2008 7:21 pm

i'm thinking about switching over to a coal furnance. I heat with oil now forced hot water baseboard and have a 80gal storage tank for hot water. my house is apx. 2,600 sq feet. any suguestions on a brand to lok at . and any ideas on how much it would cost.
Ernie

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Tue. Sep. 02, 2008 7:29 pm

Ernie.

Start looking at a coal boiler, not a furnace. Your looking at a time when coal burning equipment is in high demand and you may not be able to buy what you want until next year. Spend some time here reading. There's a wealth of information here.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Tue. Sep. 02, 2008 7:53 pm

Most definitely a boiler. Cost could run $500-10,000 or more depending on new or used and what is involved with the install. I bought a used hand fired for $500 and spent about $200 hooking it up, been using it about 14 years or so (warm as toast here

). Next year I plan to sell it as I have a stoker to replace it. The price? $500, not a bad investment eh?

Steve-NY · Post by **Steve-NY** » Tue. Sep. 02, 2008 8:21 pm

Ernie B wrote:i'm thinking about switching over to a coal furnance. I heat with oil now forced hot water baseboard and have a 80gal storage tank for hot water. my house is apx. 2,600 sq feet. any suguestions on a brand to lok at . and any ideas on how much it would cost.
Ernie

I'm new on this board too, Ernie and in similar circumstances as you. I am in the process of buying a house in upstate NY with an oil boiler and hot water baseboard heat. The house is a little over 2100 sqft, two story plus a basement. I know I want to replace that oil boiler and I'm pretty sure I've decided on a Keystoker. As stated previously the demand is very high right now and if I order one now I'll get it sometime next year. So in the meantime I have a Alaska Channing III stoker on order - dealer says delivery late fall . . . fingers crossed on that one. The Channing should help lower my oil use for heating this year, although it is also my domestic hot water so I know I'm going to burn some oil. When the heating season is over I will sell the Channing and use that money toward the boiler. It's not a great plan, but it is a plan. And it has to be better than depending solely on the oil boiler for heat this winter.

As for cost, well I'm estimating the boiler to be around $5k not including installation. It's a lot of money up front, but after doing some research on this board and elsewhere, I'm convinced it will pay for itself quickly.

- Steve

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Wed. Sep. 03, 2008 7:19 am

Steve-NY wrote:As for cost, well I'm estimating the boiler to be around $5k not including installation. It's a lot of money up front, but after doing some research on this board and elsewhere, I'm convinced it will pay for itself quickly.

It is a big up front investment but for sure it will pay for itself probably in less than 2 years. Not many things have a pay back that's so immediate. You'll never be sorry.

Ernie B · Post by **Ernie B** » Sat. Sep. 06, 2008 9:57 am

thanks for the info everyone. gyess I have some homework to do.

Ernie