Here at Pearson Fuels, we believe it is our responsibility to educate and inform our readers about the different types of fuels that are available. After all, from imported firewood to smokeless coal, there is an abundance of choice on the market. With this said, many homeowners incorrectly believe that charcoal is an alternative to the fossil fuel known as coal when it is, in actual fact, incredibly dangerous to burn indoors. Read on as we go over everything you need to know about charcoal…

What Is It?

Also known as ‘char’, high-quality charcoal is almost pure carbon and is made by cooking wood in an environment with a low oxygen level. Although it is lengthy and can take days, or even weeks, to complete, this process removes volatile compounds like water, methane, hydrogen and tar from the wood in order to create what we know as charcoal.

Different Types

There are many different types of charcoal on the market depending on how and where it was made, including: activated charcoal, which is made for medical use; lump charcoal, which is made from hardwood materials and produces less ash; Japanese charcoal, which is almost smokeless when burned because it has pyroligneous acid removed during the charcoal making process; and sawdust charcoal , which is made by compressing sawdust and is the most popular type of charcoal in Greece and the Middle East.

Uses

Charcoal has been used for so long that it is difficult to date its first use in human history. With this said, it managed to develop a range of different uses over the years. For example, charcoal was used to smelt iron for many years before it was replaced by coke in the 19th century, and in the 21st century we now use charcoal as a popular cooking fuel for outdoor barbecues due to its high-heat efficiency.

When it comes to fire safety, it is important to remember that charcoal is not a suitable fuel for indoor use due to its high carbon monoxide (CO) levels. In fact, even the very best residential ventilation is no match for charcoal fumes. Luckily, the team here at Pearson Fuels can offer you some brilliant alternatives! To find out more information about our range of coal and firewood, get in contact with the best coal merchants around today!