Burning food waste in a stove?

MichaelR

Hello,

We have a stove that we often use. We burn "Polish" coal in it.

My wife has started putting food waste (like potato peelings) into it; she thinks it will just burn with the coal causing no harm.

Is she right or is there a good reason not to do it?

Thanks!

Robbie.G

MichaelR wrote: »

Hello,

We have a stove that we often use. We burn "Polish" coal in it.

My wife has started putting food waste (like potato peelings) into it; she thinks it will just burn with the coal causing no harm.

Is she right or is there a good reason not to do it?

Thanks!

The polish coal will do far more damage than potato skins

MichaelR

Well, the coal is supposed to be there in a multifuel stove?

Robbie.G

MichaelR wrote: »

Well, the coal is supposed to be there in a multifuel stove?

Yes multifuel is supposed to be what it says but not polish coal it is to high of burning fuel and will cause damage to stoves over a period of time.
If you want to burn coal there are better for burning in stoves( stoviodes , anthracite manufactured smokeless coal)
A lot depends on what flueing arrangement you have on your stove
Is it connected directly to chimney,stainless steel twin wall ,liner in chimney.
certain coals are very sooty and food waste isn't good either mainly if you have a liner or twin wall flue as they will need sweeping more frequently at least twice a year and the liner will not last the 10years they say

Calahonda52

MichaelR wrote: »

Hello,

We have a stove that we often use. We burn "Polish" coal in it.

My wife has started putting food waste (like potato peelings) into it; she thinks it will just burn with the coal causing no harm.

Is she right or is there a good reason not to do it?

Thanks!

energy from the coal is being used to dry the skins which then burn giving out less that what was wasted drying them.
The water from the skins will condense out on the flue creating tar and soot.
Stove will eventually smell
In a word, bad idea

MichaelR

Got it about the food waste leading to smell, told wife.

As for coal - what we can get delivered is either Polish or Smokeless. Is Smokeless a better choice? I hear it is much harder to light?

The area is not "smoke regulated".

Robbie.G

MichaelR wrote: »

Got it about the food waste leading to smell, told wife.

As for coal - what we can get delivered is either Polish or Smokeless. Is Smokeless a better choice? I hear it is much harder to light?

The area is not "smoke regulated".

It's the polish that's hard on stoves as it's to sooty and high temp
Smokeless is a better option as it is better for your stove and flue

Cerco

In my experience anthracite is very hard on stoves because it burns too hot.

Robbie.G

Cerco wrote: »

In my experience anthracite is very hard on stoves because it burns too hot.

Stanley recommend it as a fuel for their stoves

Cerco

Robbie.G wrote: »

Stanley recommend it as a fuel for their stoves

Great heat out but causes the grate to twist and eventually burns out. Perhaps Stanley have resolved this issue in later models.