What Type of Coal Can Be Burned in a Wood Stove?

Apples and Oranges

• Wood-burning stoves must meet federal standards and regulations governed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The standards and regulations for wood stoves took effect for models sold after July 1, 1992. As a result, wood stoves with catalytic converters must be designed to emit no more than 4.1 grams of particulate matter per hour, and noncatalytic-equipped units cannot emit more than 7.5 grams per hour. The important distinction is that the emissions are based on burning wood and wood only. If you were to use coal, the emissions could literally go through the roof and exceed emissions standards because coal emits more particulate matter than wood, along with toxic chemical substances including nitrogen, sulfur and carbon monoxide.

Exempt Stoves

• The 1992 EPA regulations categorized coal-burning stoves as "exempt." However, exempt does not necessarily mean that they are exempt from safety regulations. What it means is that coal stoves were not included in the testing involved for developing the standards and regulations for wood stoves. The EPA chose not to mix apples and oranges.

Dual Coal- and Wood-Burning Stoves

• Coal-burning stoves are manufactured differently and are much more heat-tolerant than wood stoves because coal burns hotter. As a result, it is possible to do the opposite and burn wood in a coal-burning stove, but only (emphasis on "only) if the manufacturer has labeled the coal-burning stove as being built for and capable of burning coal and wood. And there is no such thing as a wood-burning stove that burns coal -- only coal-burning stoves that can burn wood.

Meltdown Potential

• Anthracite is the hardest and most common type of coal used for home heating in coal-burning stoves and furnaces. It is also the hottest. A ton of anthracite can generate 25 million British Thermal Units (BTUs) of heat. So imagine what can happen if you mix anthracite (because it's commonly available) inside a wood-burning stove that's designed to generate 2,000 BTUs, at best. The heat generated by the coal and the sulfur emitted by the coal are enough to eat away the defenseless lining of the wood-burning stove's firebox. This could even melt or shatter the glass on the stove door, because it was never made to be exposed to the intense heat of coal. In addition, wood stoves do not have the proper ashtray grates and compartments necessary for coal. This means that coal embers could spill out of the stove onto the floor and cause a fire. The moral: Do not burn any type of coal --- anthracite, lignite, bituminous, sub-bituminous or even common barbecue grill charcoal in a wood-burning stove.