How often do you shovel hot ashes?

It depends, I guess on the install.

I find at -20dF and warmer I can load NS and shovel ashes about once a week without having to worry about burning splits rolling off the pile into the stove glass while I am at work.

In colder temps I load EW for a more complete burn and less ash (been at it a couple weeks at least now) but still have to shovel about once a week though I am burning more wood.

On the phase I non-cat I was running last year I harvested about 30 gallons of ash from 8 cords of wood. This year I am running a Phase II cat stove that meets Phase III emissions and have already got 30 gallons of ash (I have a 35 gallon metal trash can in the yard for ashes) from 5.5 cords.

Well I have a lopi 1250 so that is something I have to do a lot

legrandice said:

Today I found myself shoveling some hot ashes from the stove. I burn 24/7 for heat this time of year, but usually there is a warm day every few weeks or so so I can clean out the stove. This AM I did what I could to burn down the coals, but it was still pretty hot shoveling it out.

And before I get flamed, yes the hot ashes go in a metal bucket with a cover and are placed away from the house for a week before being dumped on my compost pile.

Click to expand...

I would watch putting to much ash in the compost and if you put in garden be darn careful. I did this for several years and it took me almost 5 years to get it back where it should be, and stay away from walnut ashes in garden.

I try to do mine while cool but sometimes I have hot ash and some coals, when I have to do it hot IT ALL GOES OUT. Clean stove afterward. Usually 3 weeks.

I clean out about once a week, also depending upon temps outside. I shovel red coals to the side and then clean out the rest. They all go on my ice covered gravel driveway, usually right after cleaning. I don't burn skids, so no worries about nails and if a salesman drives in right afterwards, well gee, how was I to know?

I've been using this for two years now, and it's been great.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=24&Ntt=ash+scoop

I usually clean out ashes every day.

I always take some of the ashes out daily.

once every two weeks or so. If rake it around really well the ash breaks down to fine powder and takes of less space but after 2 weeks or so of this I have a dense underlayer of this material built up. That layer typically fills a bucket and goes either in the driveway or fire pit. I do my best to save coals and take just the heavy bottom ash.

Ash disposal . . . about twice a week . . . thanks to the fantastic ash pan on the Oslo.

Hot ashes . . . rarely . . . unless I am running the stove in full steam ahead, batten down the hatches, Warp Factor 3 mode I don't tend to have to deal with many hot ashes dropping down into the ash pan.

On the Enerzone 3.4 I would just let the stove go dead once per month and shovel. Easier than trying to lift the plug and push ashes thru a 2"x2" hole in the bottom. I'd toss it on the driveway.

Never shovel ashes....but empty ash pan usually twice a week if burning 24/7.

I try to clean my every 2 days. If I don't it piles against the door and when I open it dust and ash goes everywhere. I leave a good inch of red coals to start a new fire.

I have the same stove as cphill, and like cphill I have to empty ashes frequently. I can go maybe three days of 24/7 burning before the ash gets too deep and impacts stove capacity and gets in the way of the doghouse air outlet.