The colder months have crept in and we’re all looking for ways to stay warm and heat our homes. As gas and electric bills remain high, there are some alternative ways to do this.
One such way to heat your home is burning coal. If you have a fireplace or a multi-fuel stove, certain types of coal could be just what you need.
Let’s take a look at how much coal is sufficient for the winter period and what else you should probably know about this fuel source.
How Much Coal Do I Need?
You may be asking,”‘How much coal do I need for winter?”. How much coal you need depends on your circumstances. If you have found (like many others are encountering today) that your household bills have increased because of high gas and electric prices, you might consider smokeless coal as a good option.
Having a fireplace with a chimney in your home can be a wonderful aesthetic addition to any home, as can a multi-fuel stove. They might cost a significant fee to install if there isn’t an existing stove fitted into your house, but you could save on monthly spending when compared to other types of energy use.
The question you need to ask yourself is how often you are likely to light fires. If you like the idea of having a roaring fire in your home every day during the colder seasons, you should probably stock up on more smokeless coal than infrequent users. How much coal you need also depends on how big your home is, the size of the fireplace, and other factors.
Factors That Affect How Much Coal You Need
Several factors determine how much coal you need for winter and can help you plan your fuel supply efficiently:
Size of your home
Larger homes naturally require more heat to keep them warm. If you live in a small apartment, you may need far less coal than a spacious house with multiple rooms. Understanding your home’s heating needs will help you calculate how much coal you need for consistent warmth throughout the colder months.
Size of your fireplace or stove
The size of your fireplace or multi-fuel stove directly impacts coal consumption. Larger combustion chambers burn more coal per fire, whereas smaller stoves can be fuel-efficient and require less.
How often you light fires
Daily fires will obviously require more fuel than occasional use. If you plan to enjoy a roaring fire every evening, make sure you stock up accordingly. Estimating your fire frequency is key to deciding how much coal to buy.
Type of coal used
Not all coal burns the same. Smokeless coal is highly efficient and produces longer-lasting heat, meaning you may need less than traditional house coal. Choosing the right type of coal can also reduce smoke, soot, and harmful particulate emissions while keeping your home warm.
Smokeless Coal Options and Bag Sizes from Housefuel
As a rule of thumb, a 25kg bag of smokeless coal could last you a week if you light one fire a day. Depending on how much coal you top up your fire with coal and the size of the combustion chamber will affect this.
Thankfully, there are large bag options available at HouseFuel that mean you can purchase enough coal to store away should you need it. The Smokeless Ovals, Superheat Smokeless, and Stovemaster choices are supplied in 25kg bags, taking the hassle out of more regular shopping.
The 25kg coal price is competitive, but these options can be further enhanced when purchasing in bundles for greater long-term savings. This could help you save in the long run if you were going to purchase a large amount anyway.
House coal has had its purposes in previous generations, but it is being phased out by UK legislation due to impacts on the environment and health concerns. For this reason, we’d suggest that you opt for smokeless coal instead so that no harmful pollutants are present in your home and those around the fire won’t breathe in a substantial amount of Particulate Matter.
For all your smokeless coal needs, explore the HouseFuel website to see what we offer.
