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Loading ...Brett recently wrote about biomass stoves and furnaces, and before that Scott weighed in on the pros and cons of pellet stoves. So I thought I’d provide a little background on the fossil fuel that preceded these newfangled methods of heating your home.
Coal Heating: When Was It Common?
When inspecting old buildings, there’s often some evidence that it was heated with coal at one time. Even really old buildings, originally heated with wood, may have had a central coal heating retrofit. Old wood burning fireplaces may have been blocked off and coal stoves had been piped into the old chimney flues. Some buildings still have their original coal fired boiler or furnace, but it has been converted to fuel oil or gas. In many 19th century homes, an old abandoned chimney used to serve a coal cooking range in the original kitchen. Many basements still have their coal bin.
Coal Boiler
I like to point out these clues to an earlier time but then I’m frequently asked during what time period was the house heated with coal. I then have to politely point out that I wasn’t around back then.
I’m the old-house inspector, not the old house-inspector.
As a collector of old books I get to read about building materials and methods, and have a pretty good idea when coal-fired heating equipment became available. This doesn’t necessarily correspond with when coal as a fuel became readily available to a specific area. In colonial America, wood was certainly abundant and to some degree, considered a waste product. In fact, I once read that black walnut was undesirable and used for things like temporary fencing. Until a region became deforested, like many areas of Europe, wood would remain the fuel for heating.
As early as 1748, there was a coal mine near Richmond, VA, but the coal would likely only have been used very locally until the transportation industry developed. By the 1820s, coal was being shipped regularly from Europe to some major coastal American cities, but the cost for overseas transport likely limited the use to only large buildings or homes of the most wealthy. Numerous canals were created by the 1840s, enabling America’s land-locked coal industries the ability to distribute this fossil fuels to many ports, cities, and towns. Horse powered wagons could then provide the local delivery from coal yards to all but the most remote rural homes.
The second half of the 19th century and into the first quarter of the 20th saw coal as the most abundant fuel most widely used–not only for heating but for powering most industrial processes. The First World War created major shortages of coal and its use peaked right before 1920. By the mid 1930s, fuel oil burners finally became safe and reliable. By the beginning of the building boom right after the Second World War, coal for heating was seen as old technology.
11 Responses to “The History of Coal Heating”
I read somewhere that as of the turn of the century there were still about 140,000 private homes using coal furnaces. Amazing. I guess the next post in this series will be on solar panels, right?
I’m assuming ST is referring to homes in the U.S. since China (and other countries) still burn coal in their homes. Underground coal fires are a big problem in China too. These fires destroy more coal than the coal miners extract.
Something still quite appealing with old coal fires not sure what the future holds for this type of heating but it still has its place
Fifteen years ago I tore out the original heating unit from 1905. It was a coal-burner/hot air unit converted in the 20’s to oil/hot water radiators. I replaced it with a natural gas burner.
I remember as a youngster(1950’s) playing around the coal delivery truck as those burly men made a delivery. Coal filled the cellar so there was never a shortage in winter. It dirty and labor-intensive. The stove needed to be fed regularly and the ashes hauled out for pick-up. The ashes were great for ice and filling potholes. And, most important there was the constant danger from fire and indoor methane. Buildings had to be designed with coal burning in mind.
The City of New York had many schools with coal-plants requiring stationary fireman on duty twenty-four seven even after the energy crises in the 70’s. More a works program than a good idea. The last time I fed a coal-burner was in the Army. If there are coal-burners anywhere today they are a novelty.
Hell0 Bill
My name is John Zohimsky Jr.You might say that I grew up in a coal family. My father started in the late 1930’s selling residential,commercial,and industrial coal stokers for Chicago Iron Fireman.Most of our family friends were in someway involved with the coal buisness. I remember when Dad started spending more time with oil conversions and by the time we saw gas permits things became state of the art.
Dad used to give metal ash trays to his friends and customers-They were pewter with green felt on the bottom and in the middle stood a 2 inch tall iron man with a shovel full of coal.
In his later years those that knew him called him The Iron Fireman–and I’ll never forget that coal started it all-Thanks for your web site. Yours Truly-John Zohimsk Jr.aka Dr.Zoo
This is what its all about people! Great article!
Nice bit of history, but I think coal in some form will make a come back
Just in case, I’m not a coal loon,but,I do feel that there is a place for it as we move away from oil.
I love the picture of the “snowman”. My father tells stories about his dad tending the coal furnace at their house in Cambridge - I think it would be at least as late as the 1940s. Every so often I see leftover coal in a cellar and in fact took out a barrel filled with it from my own old house.
Liz
After working with geothermal systems it really seems like the stoneage when you talk about a coal system.