How Do I Clean out the Ashes Without Freezing?

Just remember.....make sure they're cold if you're going to put them in the trash.....we have truck fires every year from hot coals in the trash.

I put an extension on my shovel handle (to keep from toasting my widdle pinkies) and push the coals to one side and scoop out the ash. Push coals to other side and repeat. A home depot can with lid that is held on with the cans handle, then goes to the porch onto a table with a stone top. Done carefully, most of the fly ash goes up the flu : )

Also make sure you stir up the ash bed each time you load the stove and not just rack the hot coals forward. That brings up some of the old charcoal that may not have burned 100% the first time since they were sitting low in the ash bed. Since I started doing this, my ash cleanout interval has gone from twice a week (ashes with lumps) to once per week (ashes without lumps).

Half the number of cleanouts means half the risk of messing up and causing a fire!

When you put the ashes in your bucket, let them slide off the end of the shovel instead of turning the shovel over. That will keep the ashes from floating up in the air.

Open the damper, bypass, and whatever else to increase the draft... hold your can tipped like the guy in the pictures above near the door of the fireplace... and shovel away... the light stuff should suck back into the stove and be careful with that bucket until you get it somewhere you don't mind burning things...

I dump 'em in the driveway on the ice and snow... then I plow 'em onto the lawn...

hey serinat,
check out the post titled "$2.99 coal scoop"
i'm thinking that might help a bit
you will be able to sift the hot coals and seperate them from the ash making ash removal much easier
got to get one of those for myself
wont help with the stuff flying around but if you are drafting you should be ok
best of luck
rustynut