What is smokeless fuel?
Smokeless fuel is a solid fuel designed to burn with very little visible smoke. It was originally promoted for use in smoke control areas.
TYPES OF SMOKELESS FUEL
ANTHRACITE
(A natural, very hard, high-carbon coal)
Pure anthracite burns very cleanly
A finite resource and increasingly expensive
MANUFACTURED SMOKELESS FUELS
(Compressed fuels made from coal by-products or other materials)
Mixed with other materials to reduce cost
Burns dirtier than pure anthracite
Generally best avoided where possible
WHY IT MATTERS
Using the wrong fuel can lead to:
More soot and tar in your chimney
Higher risk of chimney fires
Increased carbon monoxide risk
Damage to your stove and flue
More pollution and poorer air quality
Like most things you get what you pay for. Bad quality fuel is going to cause you problems somewhere down the road.
The cleanest burning coal is Anthracite but it is also the most expensive as it is slowly running out and new sources have not been found.
Cheaper versions may still be classed as 'smokeless' but do not burn as cleanly as anthracite and so add to air pollution and also can contain chemicals that can corrode your stainless steel liner, if not used often enough or left for long periods over the summertime.
If in doubt, stick to burning wood. Seasoned, with a moisture content under 20%.
Note that only multi-fuel stoves are suitable for burning coal as well as wood and never at the same time.
local fuel suppliers
local fuel suppliers
