First burn for our Heritage. Question in regard to ash?

Leave more than you think you should. it runs poorly without a decent ash bed. Just don't block the primary feed - 1/2" dia hole on the front center, on the face of that bump / "doghouse". I was shocked the other day how much ash fell out into the pan when i jangled it (mostly cold) about a half dozen times - easily filled the pan. there are more than a few gripes on here about how small that pan is - just be cautious with your disposal, because you will get hot ash / embers / cinders / coals down there. My recommendation would be to have a bucket with a lid, and for that bucket to be WIDER than your pan. I may spring for the $30 or $40 bucket at the hardware store for this reason...

I'm sure you'll want to hear from highbeam, too, but here's my experience:

I found that it's best to just let the entire ashpan fill up, and shovel ashes from inside the firebox into an ash can when it gets to that point, usually every couple of days. My opinion on the ash pan for this stove is it's basically more hassle than it's worth. Every time I tried to use it, I had a huge mess to clean up from in front of and under the stove - ashes would always fall out of the open-ended side of the pan.

If you just shovel from inside the stove (don't even open that ash pan door until the end of the burn season), you'll always be assured of having a good base of ashes.

I'm finding the same to be true in my "new" Mansfiled. It is marginally better than the Heritage, but not much.

Yeah I agree on shoveling from inside actually - you do get a bit smoother layer of leftovers. Problem for me is - my brand new cheapsh*t hardware store shovel SNAPPED OFF THE HANDLE on tuesday night. So until i replace that, I'm in Ash Pan Mode.

I do wish that stupid pan had a front lip to it. I might just go bend one into it a little, or pop-rivet a flap of steel onto the front......

I agree about shoveling. Leave the ashpan filled with ash, make sure it is shut tight and forget about it.

Ash at the bottom of the stove will reflect some heat into the fire.

I've used a coffee can.

Metal ones are getting harder to find. Especially the larger ones.

The trouble with filling the whole ash drawer and pan and then leaving it is that the only way to open the ash drop grate is to open the ash pan drawer which means you can never fill the drawer up. I just forget about the feature and will curse hearthstone if that gasket ever gives me trouble.

I scooped ashes last night. About half of a 12 (quart?) hardware store galvanized pail painted black to match the stove. That little hole in the doghouse is important but the majority of primary air is fed to the airwash vent which enters the stove at the top of the window.

I have found it best to leave an inch of ash above the soapstone bricks in the firebox floor. Then empty them again when I begin to crowd the doghouse hole or when it is going to be a coldsnap and I want the extra volume for coals. The fire burns much better with the ash on the floor. I believe the owner's manual even directs you to leave a layer which is funny since to leave a layer of ash you can't really use their silly ash pan system.

billb3 said:

I've used a coffee can.

Metal ones are getting harder to find. Especially the larger ones.

Click to expand...

I would find a coffee can far too small to do anything neatly. Plus wouldn't it be difficult/hot to carry and the plastic lid a worry?
Lowe's sells a miniature (8 gal or so) garbage can w/lid & handle that works just fine as long as decor isn't an issue.

I dont even open the ash pan door. Like Highbeam I think it is a terrible design. I have a stock pan that I bought for about $10. It will hold about the right amount when I shovel out the ashes. I take that out to a trash can as soon as I empty the stove. It is easy to hide until I need it and like I said, it is about the perfect size to empty after 2 or so days of burning.