Coal Stoves
In areas with ready access to cheap supplies of coal and coke, coal stoves have long been a preferred alternative to wood burning stoves. This has traditionally been true in places such as the mining settlements of Northern England, South Wales and Eastern Pennsylvania, where coal mining was often the only employer and the mine was the focal point of the community. Since they were often given free coal as a benefit of their employment, coal miners could enjoy plentiful heat from coal stoves even when the other conditions of their employment were less than acceptable. This was especially welcome in the cold winter months.
Coal Stoves
Coal burning stoves function in a similar manner to other solid fuel stoves. At their most basic, they are relatively simple: a container made of cast iron (or, more recently, other appropriate metals) holds the coal, and vents allow the circulation of air in order to allow the heat to warm the room and waste gases to escape. These gases are usually vented to the outside of a building via the use of a flue or a chimney.
Coal stoves use anthracite, the highest quality grade of coal, as this has fewer impurities than other grades and is most appropriate for domestic solid fuel heating. They can also use coal pellets, a form of coal that has been processed so it is easier to handle, and is in pieces of uniform size and calorific value, rather than rough hewn lumps as is usual with coal. Some mistakenly think that only coal pellet stoves can use them, but this is incorrect: all well made coal stoves should be able to handle pellets without difficulty.
More advanced models can contain a number of additional features. Temperature can be controlled via dials on the coal burning stove rather than simply by the manipulation of ventilation grilles or flaps. Some also contain adaptations designed to reduce heat loss through the flue, while others contain steel coils designed to provide hot water. These can be connected via a solid fuel boiler to a solid fuel central heating system to provide heat for other rooms in the home, as well as hot running water.
Coal Stove Parts
When using the more complex varieties of coal stove, it is important to have an effective maintenance regime. This means either a maintenance contract with a repair company, an ability to call on a repair company quickly if needed or an in depth knowledge of the workings of the stove. If the owner is indeed attempting a repair, he or she should first attempt to find a reliable stockist of coal stove parts. Knowing that any parts desired will be delivered quickly is more than just peace of mind: waiting for an essential part in the depths of winter can mean a long period of cold and discomfort.
Antique Coal Stove
Many homeowners are now buying antique coal stoves. Some are just decorative, but the ones that work as functioning coal burning stoves bring not just warmth but a great deal of character to the room they are in: the period charm of an antique coal stove is quite different to the functional appearance of most modern models.