The benefits of installing coal central heating
Heating your home is of vital importance, especially when winter is in full throttle. Coal central heating is an option often over looked – find out more here
Coal central heating is
a viable option if you’re not connected
to the gas mains
Coal central heating does offer certain advantages and new designs and materials mean that coal burning boilers can fit into the tightest of spaces. Before you go ahead and have a coal central heating system installed, check with current building code regulations as coal burning boilers are considered to be a bad option for the environment.
Types of boilers:
- Conventional boiler
This is the very basis for more recent boiler designs. It works by heating water in a large tank, and heat is generated from this water and then delivered to radiators etc, via pipes. The cold water storage tank is often under very high pressure, so it is important that the boiler is made from strong and durable materials. Coal could be used to heat the water in a conventional boiler.
- Solid fuel boiler
A solid-fuel boiler is ideal for burning coal; you could also burn wood, straw and carbon neutral pellets. These are usually designed to be freestanding which means there is more leeway on where they can be placed. However, regulations against solid fuel boilers have been placed in many areas because of the environmental impact. If you do opt for this choice ensure you check with your local regulations before installing a coal-burning system at home.
- Freestanding boiler
These types of boiler are great for those households that want to burn fuel, as the boiler can be room sealed meaning that oxygen is provided to the boiler through a flue, or can have a conventional flue which draws air in from the room. Freestanding boilers are made from aluminium or steel and they are constructed in a way which allows boilers to be thinner, meaning they can slot in between other appliances.
- Wall-mounted boiler
A wall-mounted boiler is a good option for a smaller households, as they are made from lighter material and are more compact. However as they are smaller than regular boilers they are unable to contain superfluous fuel. Therefore it may not be the best option for those wanting to burn fuel, as it can be hard to keep fuelled properly.
There are many arguments concerning the usage of coal to fuel a coal central heating system, below you will find a compiled list of advantages and disadvantages for using coal.
Advantages of using coal
- Cost
It may not be the best thing for the environment; however it still works out as one of the cheapest forms of fossil fuel to burn. Alternative-heating.com states that coal still produces 56% of the world’s electricity it also claims that the coal reserves in America alone would last for 300 years. As coal is (currently) plentiful, it is cheap, so consumers using it for fuel will pay
less.
- Simplicity
Coal burning boilers are very simple machines. Basically, the coal is poured in through an automatic vent and as it burns it heats up the water. Hot water can then move through pipes or it can be heated to steam where it can be used to generate power by turning turbines. Whatever its purpose, the general practice of burning coal is very simple. Another bonus is if the system breaks it is relatively easy to replace. On average it is a good investment and should last for around 30-40 years.
- Recycle
Whilst the coal burning aspect is not environmentally friendly, the actual boiler can be recycled with relative ease. Owners could either cash in the scrap value (scrap yards will then sell them for parts to keep other coal burning coals running). Or, as they are made of metal, they can be melted down and used to make another product.
Disadvantages of using coal
- Erosion and land pollution
Mining has caused serious land erosion and the land still bears the scars today. Erosion leads to toxic chemical seepages in water bodies such as rivers and this consequently kills of wildlife habitats and then the wildlife. Some mining companies are currently working to rehabilitate land destroyed by mining, land erosion and pollution is still evident today
- Mercury
Similar to other fossil fuels, coal burning boilers emit dangerous pollutants including mercury. Only 50% of the mercury that is involved in burning coal is removed before emissions reach the air.
- Human health
Emissions from burning coal include nitrogen oxide which causes an array of health issues with us. Namely, respiratory diseases, aggravating asthma and causing a reduction in lung function. In particular it is said to affect unborn babies, infants and those with chronic heart disease and anaemia.
- Smog and acid rain
As previously mentioned, burning coal produces nitrogen oxide which when combined with other organic fuel gases produces a very unhealthy air pollution called smog. The chemical mixture involved in producing smog can also lead to acid rain, which is a poison to the earth, vegetation and marine-life and consequently the people and animals that eat them.
- Global warming
It is estimated that the carbon dioxide produced from burning coal contributes to about 50% of global warming.
