Ok have looked and looked and havn’t found a straight answer. I am trying to find a way to empty my hot ashes from my stove without making a mess. I have been burning my wood stove furnace addon for about 4 weeks now in my basement and have noticed ash dust on everything. My pool table is covered. Every time I place the ashes in my metal can I get a puff of ash dust before I can put my lid on. Then when I go to open it again for the second dump more ash dust. It doesn’t matter if I try to drop them in very slowly. All the ash dust is starting to drive me nuts. I really don’t want to pay $200 for an ash vac when a shop vac costs $50 but I know that I can use that. Does anyone have any recomendation on how to do this with out all the dust?
What I used to do was to use a drywall filter on my shop vac and run the vacuum when doing the ashes. The best way is to have someone holding the hose and sucking up the errant dust while you work, but you can also build a stand of some sort that puts the hose nozzle just over the ash bucket, for example.
Or, if you have a removable ash drawer with that furnace (or if it’s an option), you can carry it outside and do your dumping there. A big shovel works pretty well for that, too.
There are also ways to use a shovel and the lid from your ash can to minimize the amount of ash that escapes while cleaning, i.e., slide the ashes off the shovel in the can, and then quickly pop the lid on it.
I do it cold, which seems to help a bit. I’m tempted to cobble together an ash vac that vents outside - sort of a central vac for ashes perhaps with a cyclonic separator.
What I used to do was to use a drywall filter on my shop vac and run the vacuum when doing the ashes. The best way is to have someone holding the hose and sucking up the errant dust while you work, but you can also build a stand of some sort that puts the hose nozzle just over the ash bucket, for example.
Or, if you have a removable ash drawer with that furnace (or if it’s an option), you can carry it outside and do your dumping there. A big shovel works pretty well for that, too.
There are also ways to use a shovel and the lid from your ash can to minimize the amount of ash that escapes while cleaning, i.e., slide the ashes off the shovel in the can, and then quickly pop the lid on it.
I am running my stove 24/7 now and I can’t wait for the ashes to cool down or my house will get cold. I thought you can’t use a shop vac on hot ashes?
I’m saying hold the vacuum hose nozzle above the ash can to suck up all the dust in the air. You don’t want it near the coals, that’s for sure!
One forced air combustion appliance is plenty!
I tried to explan to my wife why I couldn’t use a shop vac the other day and I finally used the word “jet engine” that’s what I would have if the coal caught on fire..LOL
Ok.. I just talked to the manufacture of the ash vacs and they are telling me that they are basically the same as a shop vac but it does not exaust dust into the air. They say they are a double fileter system. They were also telling me that the whole unit is built per fire specs. Basically everything in it is fire proof. Just infomation that I found and thought I would pass on.
You guys making recommendations should be careful. Vacuum cleaners and ashes DO NOT GO TOGETHER! Unless it is a certified ash vacuum--which is made of metal and is AIRTIGHT.
How do you know FOR SURE when you are using an ordinary vacuum cleaner (or shop vac) on the hearth or in the woodstove/ woodfurnace that there ARE NO LIVE COALS there??! Go ahead… vacuum the hearth. Put the vacuum cleaner away in the corner, go to work. Live coal in vacuum cleaner COMBUSTS! End of story.
Why not have another ash pan made? While you’re at it have one cover made. Remove ash pan and cover, allow to cool and dump outside later. Probably cost less than a fancy vac or new home.
That is why I love to read all the different threads here. You get a bunch of people looking at a problem from all different angles and many solutions offered. The last one seems to me to be the best yet. I wish I could apply it to my stove but alas, no ash pan and I want to move the whole process out of the house with a much more efficient furnace anyway. Rob
Why not have another ash pan made? While you’re at it have one cover made. Remove ash pan and cover, allow to cool and dump outside later. Probably cost less than a fancy vac or new home.
I have already though of this. Actually I have a firend that is going to make a cover for mine that way I can pull it out and take it straight outside. I can make a lot of ash pans and covers for $200
That is why I love to read all the different threads here. You get a bunch of people looking at a problem from all different angles and many solutions offered. The last one seems to me to be the best yet. I wish I could apply it to my stove but alas, no ash pan and I want to move the whole process out of the house with a much more efficient furnace anyway. Rob
I will agree with you. That is also why I like this forum. Some one can throw out an Idea and it’s hit from all different ways.
