Guide to Coal and Smokeless Solid Fuel
Buying coal is not as easy as picking up the first bag you see. There is a lot to consider: does it suit your type of stove/fire?, how much heat is it going to produce? Is it smokeless?
Don’t worry, our coal guide will help you to choose the right type for heating your home.
There are four main types of coal for home heating:
- Anthracite
- Bituminous
- Lignite
- Smokeless
They rank depending on the carbon content meaning that the coal with the highest carbon content is the best and cleanest type.
Lower ranging coals have higher moisture content and therefore the heat output is lower.
Anthracite
- Perfect fuel for your closed stoves
- High level of heat (calorific value – 9 kW/kG)
- Needs kindling to light
- Low in sulphur and high in carbon moisture content – less than 15%
- Burns with blue light
- Smokeless fuel
- Ideal to burn continuously over a lengthy, cold period
Bituminous coal
- Moisture content – less than 20%
- Burns with a long radiant flame, giving lots of heat (calorific values – 6.8 – 9 kW/kG) the most popular bituminous coal is Premium Polish Coal
- Easy to light
- Ideal for open and closed fires
Lignite
- Also known as “brown coal”
- Moisture content – 45%
- High sulphur content
- Calorific values – less than 5 kW/kG
- Sold in form of union nuggets
Smokeless Fuel
Smokeless fuel consist of mixture of fuels: Petroleum Coke, Lignite, Ovoids and Anthracite.
- Ideal for open fire especially in smoke controlled areas
- Easy to light
- Burns with a long radiant flame
- Low in ash
- Popular smokeless fuels are supertherm and stoveheat.
Smoky Coal Ban
A ban on the burning of smoky coal and other prohibited fuels now applies in all smoky coal ban Low Smoke Zones. Check out if you are in the smokeless zone or not by clicking here.
It is worth trying different types of coal in your stove to see which works the best. You are looking for coal that gives good heat, can stay burning all night, gives little ash and dirt (soot).
Remember never to use:
- Household coal in multifuel stoves
- Coal in a wood-burning stove
- Smokeless coal in enclosed stove other than anthracite
Shop our range of coal online or in store.
