Charcoal has a plenitude of uses in our day to day life. But one question that always arises is- does charcoal go bad? Stay tuned with us to know the answer and much more.
What Is Charcoal?
Charcoal is an impure form of carbon deposit, produced by slowly burning the carbonaceous material such as wood or other organic materials in the absence of oxygen. It’s used in water filtration, metallurgical fuel, reducing agent, automotive fuel, pyrotechnics, industrial fuel, cosmetics, and cooking fuel.
Different Types
There are different types of charcoal, namely:
- Lump charcoal – Lump charcoal is best for grilling or barbecuing because of its ability to produce intense heat and natural smoke flavor.
- Pillow shaped briquettes – This is one of the most common and widely available charcoal. Commercial industries manufacture it by pressing the wood by-products, sawdust, sodium nitrate, and petroleum binding agents.
- Sawdust briquette charcoal –Â This kind of charcoal is obtained by pressing the sawdust without sticking agent and add-ons.
- Sugar charcoal – It is manufactured by carbonizing, heating pure, white, and ash-free sugar.
- Japanese charcoal –Â This form of charcoal is popular in Japan as a cooking and grilling fuel.
Does Charcoal Go Bad?
Charcoal can go bad because the chemicals present in them degrade over time. It can also go bad if you don’t preserve it in a container properly. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to environmental factors such as rain or humidity adversely affects charcoal because they absorb moisture quickly. But don’t worry, you can still use the wet charcoal by drying it out under the direct sunlight for a few hours or a couple of days, as per their condition. After that, pour a few drops of “Charcoal lighter fluid” evenly all over them for quick combustion.
How To Store Charcoal?
If you are a barbeque enthusiast or a frequent camper, then it becomes necessary for you to prevent your bags of charcoal from getting damp and to stop its combusting chemicals from deteriorating by trying the below ways.
- Store the charcoal in an airtight container. Keep the loosened ones into a zip-lock bag, in a cool and dry place, to maintain longevity.
- Keep the bag away from water and damp conditions. Preserving it from rain is also important.
- Dehumidifiers installed basements and garages are the ideal places to stock the charcoal bags.
Why Is Charcoal Bad?
Overall, charcoal is valuable for human beings. However, its benefits come with a hefty cost to the environment because it emits harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which is a proven threat to global warming.
Conclusion
We hope after reading the above article, you’ll know charcoal can go bad sometimes. All you have to do is to store them properly to increase their shelf life and to effectively stockpiling for a whole year. Keep in mind that charcoal comes with no expiration date!