# Best coal for open fiire



## packard (10 Jan 2010)

Hi,
What's the best type if any of coal for an open fire. Thanks


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## allthedoyles (10 Jan 2010)

Without doubt its the superior Polish Coal .

Polish coal has the highest heat output - next comes Columbian Coal and finally English/Scottish has the least heat output of the 3 . ( calorific value )

note : Polish coal is bituminous and can only be used outside smokeless areas


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## packard (10 Jan 2010)

Thanks for that.


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## thespecialon (10 Jan 2010)

how much is a bag of coal these days?


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## magicbeans (12 Jan 2010)

Here (rural area) its 13.50 for a 50kg bag


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## bullworth (12 Jan 2010)

Is a coal fire the cheapest way of heating a room ? How long does a 50kg bag last in this kind of frozen over weather ?


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## seantheman (12 Jan 2010)

magicbeans said:


> Here (rural area) its 13.50 for a 50kg bag


 
Are you sure this isn't 40kg? 50kg would be an awful big heavy bag


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## demoivre (12 Jan 2010)

allthedoyles said:


> Without doubt its the superior Polish Coal .
> 
> Polish coal has the highest heat output - next comes Columbian Coal and finally English/Scottish has the least heat output of the 3 . ( calorific value )
> 
> note : Polish coal is bituminous and can only be used outside smokeless areas



The ban in certain areas applies to the  marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal and not it's use.


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## Complainer (12 Jan 2010)

allthedoyles said:


> polish coal


I always thought this was the instruction for use, not the branding or country of origin. All that time spent out with a dirty cloth...


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## ajapale (12 Jan 2010)

Complainer said:


> I always thought this was the instruction for use, not the branding or country of origin. All that time spent out with a dirty cloth...



During the 70's and 80's the coal importers claimed manufacturing tax rates based on the assertion that they "washed" the coal after they landed it in the docks.

I dont know how successful they were.


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## Tentman (31 Jan 2010)

There's no such thin as a 50kg bag of coal nowadays. Max size is 40kg.Cheapest I have seen is €11.50 but that was up near the border some time ago.


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## NOAH (26 Nov 2014)

how much for a bag of coal now and which type is best for use with a back boiler and why?


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## flowerman (26 Nov 2014)

NOAH said:


> how much for a bag of coal now and which type is best for use with a back boiler and why?


 
Its about 13-14 euro for a bag of stove coal nowadays.We use Agrina Ecobrite in our stove along with season dried wood and briquettes.

Be carefull of some of that cheap Polish coal,as its quality is a bit hit and miss and can block the hell out of your chimney liner if it doesnt burn properly.Some of it also spits alot too.


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## horusd (26 Nov 2014)

Complainer said:


> I always thought this was the instruction for use, not the branding or country of origin. All that time spent out with a dirty cloth...



 It's been a while Complainer, but you haven't lost the sense of humour!


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## NOAH (27 Nov 2014)

20 euro per bag here in clare for an open fire with back boiler,  apparently the stuff for 20 euro is best for back boiler. 

thanks for reply.


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## noproblem (27 Nov 2014)

bullworth said:


> Is a coal fire the cheapest way of heating a room ? How long does a 50kg bag last in this kind of frozen over weather ?



I'm afraid it's the most expensive way you can heat a room. On top of that most of it goes up and out the chimney. I know a lot of people like an open fire, especially older people, but one of the Dimplex radiators with thermostatic controls are great if you don't have central heating or oil/gas. You could use a big bag of coal in a few days or might last longer, depends on how much you put in


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## Guns N Roses (27 Nov 2014)

noproblem said:


> I'm afraid it's the most expensive way you can heat a room. On top of that most of it goes up and out the chimney.



Not if you fit an insert stove. We used approximately 5kg of smokeless coal per day. We fill it 3-4 times during the day and the heat lasts for a full 24 hours. 20kg of good quality smokeless coal costs us about €10.


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## Leo (27 Nov 2014)

noproblem said:


> I'm afraid it's the most expensive way you can heat a room. On top of that most of it goes up and out the chimney. I know a lot of people like an open fire, especially older people, but one of the Dimplex radiators with thermostatic controls are great if you don't have central heating or oil/gas. You could use a big bag of coal in a few days or might last longer, depends on how much you put in



Coal actually isn't too bad in terms of cost per delivered kWh for heat produced, it's cheaper than oil or gas. Electricity is the worst, costing over 4 times as much as gas heating.

With an open fire as you say though, a lot of heat is lost. If you have a chimney, you lost a lot of heat regardless of heat source.

How you harness the heat produced is key, so a stove is ideal and allows the chimney to be sealed.


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