Estimated yearly savings by using coal

e.alleg · By: **e.alleg** On: Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:20 pm

I'm using 100 pounds per 24 hour period in my boiler, heating a huge drafty victorian on top of a mountain. The wind blows 24/7 which is great in the summer but colder than heck in the winter. Look up Allentown 14707 on the weather site and subtract 8-10 degrees that's what it's like here a half mile up in the sky. 100# is $11.00 a day which includes all our hot water. Also because the coal boiler radiates heat the basement and adjacent crawlspaces stay warm so the pipes don't freeze anymore. Last year with propane the pipes would freeze in the crawlspace sometimes even though the house was 65 degrees. One morning the toilet was frozen I had the heat turned down to 58 after I filled the tank 4 times in one month. Bottom line: $11 a day with coal vs. $40 a day using propane, that's $30 a day I get paid to pour 2 bags into the hopper and throw the ash on the driveway, plus we are much warmer.

europachris · By: **europachris** On: Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:21 am

drujinin wrote:To blue83camaro,
Now that NG is over $1.20 a therm and coal is around $205, which is cheaper per month?

Thanks for any answers I get because I have just over 2 ton and need to figure out how far I will get based on $1.31 a therm NG this cold Wisconsin winter.
drujinin

You're paying HOW MUCH for gas??? Where are you located? My last bill was $0.70 a therm, Nicor gas, serving N. Central Illinois. I hope we don't go up like that, but it at least would justify $300/ton for my coal......

Chris

drujinin · By: **drujinin** On: Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:48 am

Europachris study that bill long and hard for Therms of Gas and any additional costs tacked on. WEnergies bill is $1.10XXXXX per Therm, then there is a "Wieghting Factor" to convert the Therms to a slightly higher value, then there is a "Distribution Fee" of XX number of cents and an additional cost for something else(?). By the time you add these numbers it comes out to $1.31XXX a Therm. Some people look at the WEnergies statements on how cheap they are selling Natural Gas for without looking at the additional cost factors.
I've been studying the Gas and Electric bill for the past 3 years.
I laugh at the fact that most people don't even realize what I am talking about when I mention these things on a Utility bill. A large percentage of the people I know are also on Budget payments so they consequently never look at the big picture of what they are really paying for.
I use my bill as an indication of efficiency's of the household, garage, shop and Poultry house to try to keep it down around $75 to $100 a month for Gas and the same for Electricity portion. Electricity tends to run a little bit higher on average.
I live in Elkhorn, WI remember?
drujinin

europachris · By: **europachris** On: Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:19 am

Good point! I'll have to go back and take a closer look at our bill and see what it really comes out to as a total cost per therm. I'm guessing it's closer to a buck a therm at least.....I was just going by the raw per-therm cost.

But yes, I recall you're in Elkhorn now. Heck, I drive past there regularly on visits to the in-laws up by West Bend.

EDIT: I looked at our last bill again. Total cost per therm is about $0.85. That's taking the total bill amount and dividing it by the therms used, simple as that.

WNY · By: **WNY** On: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:19 am

Dec. gas Bill !!! (I have been averaging about $23-25/month)
WAHOO! I am very happy.

JiminBucks · By: **JiminBucks** On: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:28 am

WNY wrote:Dec. gas Bill !!! (I have been averaging about $23-25/month)
WAHOO! I am very happy.

What was your monthly gas bill before, average? The gas co. will be sending out a repair person soon to 'fix' the meter! :clap:

WNY · By: **WNY** On: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:51 am

Well it started last Jan (When we got the house in Dec.), It went from $99 (Dec. 07), $177 (Jan 08), $53 (Feb 08), then $24 thru now! Put the Stove in the end of Jan.

The Budget before we bought the house was $144, but that was vacant (over a year) with the thermostat set at 50 degrees!!

L-Bow · By: **L-Bow** On: Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:21 pm

This my 1st year burning coal to heat 2500 sq ft 100 yr old log cabin , with modern additions. Last yr used $1800 "profane" to keep the house at a toasty 62+/-, but so far I'm sticking with my projection of 2-3 tons rice in my souped up ,just bought($800, ) extensive ductwork (yes , with cold air returns) Keystoker 70K. This morning in central Pa it was 16*outside and 74* on the inside . That includes the basement, 1st fl and 2nd fl. Thanks forum for the advice on ductwork!!! Only problem is even with 3 humidifiers and water on the stove , the humidity is bone dry 30-35%. What is the scoop on whole house humidifiers? Anybody know if my antique Keystoker 70k could be retrofit with a ss domestic coil? More questions to follow on another thread.
Larry Bowen

japar · By: **japar** On: Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:10 pm

This is my first year burning coal with a insert It sits out in front not inside the fp I am heating a raised ranch. I picked up a ton of Blaschak to get started in the beginning of the season. The oilman came today and the wife wanted to run out and tell him only to put in 100 gals but it was to cold in the teens. When I got home the slip was in the mailbox . When I came in the house she asked how many gals to fill the tank. Told her the slip said 38 gals. No way she said. Gave her the slip . She almost dropped. Used 38 gals oil in 6 weeks and 7 40# bags coal. Oil $3.15 gal . Blaschak $5.50 a bag. We keep no records but she was thinking we should have used 150 gals oil. It was a kinda cold December. It will go down the 7-8 tonite it is Jan 3 and in the artic cold snap. It is 7pm and the furnace was shut off after washing the dishes an hour ago. Will turn back on at 6am for hot water. Sitting in front of the computer in a t- shirt .

Devil505 · By: **Devil505** On: Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:42 pm

Larry Bowen wrote:This my 1st year burning coal to heat 2500 sq ft 100 yr old log cabin , with modern additions. Last yr used $1800 "profane" to keep the house at a toasty 62+/-, but so far I'm sticking with my projection of 2-3 tons rice in my souped up ,just bought($800, ) extensive ductwork (yes , with cold air returns) Keystoker 70K. This morning in central Pa it was 16*outside and 74* on the inside . That includes the basement, 1st fl and 2nd fl. Thanks forum for the advice on ductwork!!! Only problem is even with 3 humidifiers and water on the stove , the humidity is bone dry 30-35%. What is the scoop on whole house humidifiers? Anybody know if my antique Keystoker 70k could be retrofit with a ss domestic coil? More questions to follow on another thread.
Larry Bowen

I'm heating about 2200sf with my Harman TLC2000 & use a console type, whole house humidifier ( http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... =humidfier )that is keeping the humidity pretty even throughout the house at about 40%. Puts about 8 gallons of water into the air every day. (Both the stove & humidifier are in a basement family room of a split entry raised ranch with an open stairway)

Rex · By: **Rex** On: Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:15 pm

Right now I am heating close to a 3,000 sf house with my Hitzer 50-93. This winter will save us $1,800 in heat cost (this after cost of coal). This doesn't even factor in the electric Im saving with my furnace not running (around 40 bucks a month saved on electric)

LP is 2.15 gallon and we have not even turned on our 2-stage 120,000 btu furnace as of yet. (not even sure it works!!)

Ed.A · By: **Ed.A** On: Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:19 pm

Rex wrote: This doesn't even factor in the electric Im saving with my furnace not running (around 40 bucks a month saved on electric)

Ha! try an ALL electrified house ( "the wave of the future" they told us in the early 80's) :cry:

The rate I'm running at I think the 2 ton @ $250 per, will get me thru till the end of February and possibly the small amount needed to get thru March. I say this only because I've tested at dead idle and getting 4 days burn out of 100lb. hopper when the temps averaged high 30's at night and 50's/low 60's during the day (typical mid March temps around these parts).

So $500 for Coal heating, I'm clearing $1800 not including the Stove Cost.....Break even if I include the Stove cost, What a Deal!

coalkirk · By: **coalkirk** On: Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:05 pm

With oil at around $3.49/per gal. that's $960.00 per 275 gallon tank. It doesn't take long to pay for your coal equipment and start saving real money. I'd use close to 3 tanks if I still burned oil.
When I made the sales pitch to my wife to buy the coal boiler, oil was .99 per gallon. She was skeptical. She now thinks I'm a genius. For once when my ship came in I wasn't at the airport.

Ed.A · By: **Ed.A** On: Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:21 pm

coalkirk wrote: For once when my ship came in I wasn't at the airport.

pbmax · By: **pbmax** On: Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:13 pm

I got the coal stove running in december. Got it pretty efficient Early Jan.
Primary house heat is electric radiant ceiling coils.
Coal stove in garage vented to register on living floor.

Power bills: (date is Due date for month previous)
Allegheny Power (Electric) 2/7/2008 $40.03 $0.00 View | File | Pay
Allegheny Power (Electric) 1/7/2008 $214.13 $0.00 View | File | Pay
Allegheny Power (Electric) 12/6/2007 $115.74 $0.00 View | File | Pay
Allegheny Power (Electric) 11/6/2007 $62.43 $0.00 View | File | Pay
Allegheny Power (Electric) 10/9/2007 $40.69 $0.00 View | File | Pay
Allegheny Power (Electric) 9/6/2007 $68.56 $0.00 View | File | Pay(Window air conditioners)
Allegheny Power (Electric) 8/8/2007 $75.60 $0.00 View | File | Pay(Window air conditioners)

About $300 in coal so far, and I have over 1/2 of it left. So, 1/3 ton burned. Turns out to about $100 month at current burn rate.
Plus the house is 5-8 degrees warmer all over.
And more of the money I'm spending goes directly to local / regional workers.
I've outlined my environmental reasons for burning coal before. Now it shows to make economical sense as well.

Estimated yearly savings by using coal

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