Here at Pearson Fuels, we stock a wide range of high-quality domestic fuels like bituminous coal, anthracite, imported firewood and kiln dried logs. With this said, the demand for charcoal as a residential fuel appears to be more prominent than ever. In order to set the record straight about this residue and its lack of suitability for domestic application, we’ve decided to go over everything there is to know about charcoal. Read on to find out more information…

What is charcoal?

Charcoal is created when water and volatile substances are removed from animal and plant materials during a process known as slow pyrolysis, or charcoal burning. Although charcoal tends to look like regular house coal, it is commonly seen as an alternative to firewood because of its ability to burn at high temperatures whilst producing less smoke.

Characteristics

Recognised by its deep yet dull black colour, many people presume that charcoal can be used interchangeably with coal, however the two fuels couldn’t be more different from one another. After all, charcoal is a man-made fuel with a carbon content that can differ between 50% and 95% and tends to give off carbon monoxide when it is burned. In addition to this, the fuel is not thought to be very efficient which means that it will take a lot of briquettes to achieve the same fire output as regular firewood.

Fuel Suitability

One of the biggest misconceptions about charcoal is that it can be used safely as a domestic fuel. Unfortunately, the high levels of carbon monoxide that this man-made residue creates means that there is a high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when it is burned indoors. With this said, it can be used externally as a BBQ fuel in order to give meat a distinctive smoky flavour as the ventilation in a garden is significantly more efficient.

As the most reliable coal merchants on the market, the team here at Pearson Fuels like to provide our readers with information direct from the horse’s mouth. After all, there is a lot of conflicting information on the internet regarding the suitability of charcoal as a domestic fuel. To speak to an expert on the matter and browse our range of suitable fuels, get in contact with a member of the Pearson Fuels team today!