I feel like I am living in the 19th century as I scoop coal from the scuttle and load it into my old-fashioned coal burning stove. I mean really, who burns coal in their living room to stay warm?Turns out, more than I would have thought -- but still a minuscule minority in this country. According to a New York Times article on Coal Burning, about 200,000 to 300,000 homes in the United States burn coal as a primary or secondary source of heat. Most are in PA, but I live below the Mason-Dixon line.
I love being warm ... and we do save so much money heating with coal instead of electricity or oil. And when it's freezing out, like today, I remember to be grateful for the warmth. But then there's the dirt ... the coal dust on the hearth and surrounding floor, the soot on my hands that I have to wash a dozen times a day.
I find our old-fashioned coal burning stove can be cranky. There has to be sufficient draw to keep the air circulating for proper combustion. The coals need to be fussed over and raked every so often. Adding wood helps with the draw, I've found, and once the coal are all red-hot, I can just add more without raking the bed of fiery rocks.
I do worry about the emissions, but imagine the environmental impact isn't as great as drilling oil a continent away and trucking it to my door. At least, I hope it's not. And I am heartened by the indication that anthracite coal, which we burn, has the least health risks.
I think it would be better (read: cleaner and more simple) if we had a coal stoker stove, as these are self-operating much in the same way as pellet stoves, with an automatic feed and stoker system.
But for now, I'll do my best to keep the hearth tidy and be thankful for my warm little home ... even if I flashbacks to black and white photos of centuries past.
How do you heat your home? Do you like the method?
