Evening star., 1942-10-07
Coal Conversion
Slowed Up by
Lack Of Men
Contractors Report
Materials Available,
But Not SkilIs

It's the lack of manpower and not
the shortage of materials that is
holding up conversion of thousands
of oil burners in the Washington
Metropolitan Area into coal-burning
heating plants.
Heating engineers and contractors
said today that coal-burning CRATES
and other equipment necessary for
conversion are available, but they
cannot find enough qualified men to
do the job of making the switch.
Orders for shifting over have
swamped heating contractors since
the War Production Board decreed
a drastic curtailment of oil for
heating purposes. The contractors
want to 60 to work. but they ask:
How can we: there are few ex-
perienced men left to do the work."
Steamfitters Go Into Army.
Like other sections of the country.
Washington has suffered through
the selective service system in the
loss of some of its best steamftters-
the men who know best how to
change over a furnace to use coal.
The heating contractors say they
can do the job OF conversion-as
urged by the WPB-if they only had
the men who know how to do it.
But these men are scarce and it
would be folly for them, they said.
to attempt to train other men since
the normal heating period in this
part OF the country would end before
they could 60 into home and ex-
pertly alter a furnace.
An estimated 10000 home heating
plants in the Washington Metro
politan Area have changed over for
coal in the last several months.
There are at least half as many
others waiting to make the change
II some one can be found to do the
job
Among the first to make the
switch from oil to coal, according
to the heating concerns, were the
smaller theaters and commercial
establishments that formerly de-
pended on oil for heat.
Homeowners Slow.
But some homeowners. II was
said, have "dillydallied" about the
change. This particular group. it
was pointed out, have "shopped
around trying to find a heating
contractor who would do the lob A
little cheaper than the other, with
the result that now, with cold
weather approaching, they are hav-
ing trouble finding some one to do
the conversion job, or are else facing
ratlonlng of fuel oil that will keep
| the temperatures in their homes to
maximum OF IS degrees.
Since a large number of oil burn
ers formerly used coal. heating ex-
perts said it is not expensive to
change them back. Those persons
who have the old coal CRATES, and
need no replacement materials. it
was said. can have the work done
for from SIS to $40. In some of the
old furnaces in which the CRATES
and lugs will have to be replaced,
the job will cost up to SIS.
! Some Expensive.
The most expensive work the
heati>g engineers said. involves
those furnaces that have both a
summer and winter" hookup. To
convert such furnace to burn coal,
and at the. same time provide the
necessary domestic hot water, would
involve an expense of between $500
and $500. And" said one heating
contractor, people throw up their
hands at that estimate"
The heating engineers. however
admit they can obtain all the parts
necessary to convert back to a coal
burning furnace the oil burning
furnaces now used. if they can get
the necessary experienced men to
do the job.
But they give one warning tn
those homeowners who have a fur
mace in their homes that cannot be
converted to coal.
You'll have to work on vour ra
tion coupons"