Ash disposal in cardboard box- Glad I read this forum!

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jdinspector

jdinspector

Feeling the Heat
Jan 22, 2009
411
Northern IL
Over the past year or so I've read several threads about ash disposal and how careful you have to be. This morning I poured some old ashes from my metal can into a cardboard box. These ashes were at least a week old. Since I read of some people's experiences with fires starting from discarded ashes, I've always left the cardboard box sitting in the middle of my patio for a day or so before I throw them in my garbage can.

When I came home from work today, I saw that the cardboard box was burned away! (see photo) I'm very glad that I left the box on my brick patio. No harm done except a little sweeping up of spilled ashes. Thanks to those with good advice about ash disposal. I guess I'll leave the ashes in the metal can for two or three weeks in the future.
 

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They will do it. A kid that worked for me got to live in a motel for a while after his mom set the ash bucket on their wood deck and burned the house down.
 
As a firefighter I cannot tell you how many fires I have seen started -- not from the woodstove -- but from the improper disposal of hot ashes when someone dumped what they thought were cold ashes into a plastic bucket, cardboard box, etc. and then left it on the porch, garage, etc. . . . which is why my ash goes into a covered metal bucket for several weeks before it is dumped . . . and even then I tend to either dump it in my garden on bare soil, on my ice covered driveway or in a pile in the snow out back.
 
Be very, very thankful it was not on a wood surface!

If you are going to be dumping them into a container a week after emptying from the stove, why not then dump them into the galvanized can?


fwiw, we (my wife) empties the ashes into a heavy duty ash holder. It is then placed on the cement floor of the carport until she needs to empty ashes again. Here is the kicker. We have several of those big blue barrels and she simply dumps the ashes from the ash holder into one of the barrels, which is set on dirt outside. We have a couple of them full at the end of the year which I take to the vegetable garden and spread very thinly. We've never had a problem with this arrangement.
 
I put hot ashes in my galvanized can and set outside on concrete.
 
Galvenized Metal can. Cost at hardware store.... 20 bucks.... Peace of Mind.....PRICELESS
 
I've posted this before and I believe others do this too -

During the colder part of the year (24/7 burning) it takes 3-4 weeks for me to fill my ash can. I have two of these, however so I fill one, then leave it sitting on the gravel outside while the second one is being filled.
Once the second is filled (now have two full cans) I dump the first one out somewhere 'safe' - i.e in a snowbank in the woods is one of my favorite places. These ashes will have sat there for at least 3 weeks, likely much longer (the bottom of the can will be up to 2x that age...).

So using this 'rotating' can approach I avoid dumping ashes from one container to another (messy) and the ashes sit in their can for a good amount of time. I have considered adding a third can to the rotation, but it just seems excessive with my disposal plans. If I were putting them into the trash via a box or anything then I would likely put a third can into it...
 
Ash on ice is one of the best traction providers I can think of. I keep it in a metal pail in the garage. My driveway is long and has about a 15° angle. Never have to worry about ash disposal during the winter.
 
shawneyboy said:
Galvenized Metal can. Cost at hardware store.... 20 bucks.... Peace of Mind.....PRICELESS
Click to expand...

Spend $40 and rotate as Slow1 suggests.

Live ashes not only set houses on fires they also start many brush fires where they're dumped too early.

As much as I love fire in my stove, bonfires, candles, engines, even my woman; :) fire elsewhere is just freakin' scary.
 
Semipro said:
shawneyboy said:
Galvenized Metal can. Cost at hardware store.... 20 bucks.... Peace of Mind.....PRICELESS
Click to expand...

rotate as Slow1 suggests.
Click to expand...

+1 for that.... should have said buy 2 at hardware cost $40...Peace of Mind...Priceless.
 
Wow----I've only emptied twice so far, but both times into a plastic bucket that I set on my front outdoor concrete patio.

I did that once this morning...

!

I like the idea of spreading them thinly on the driveway for traction. Mine is nowhere near as steep, but it will have alot of ice form on it.
 
When I was in high school my dad scooped some "cold" ashes into a plastic wash pan next to the wood stove. Maybe 24 hours later I picked up the tub to find a hole melted/burned through the bottom of it, through the floor, and partway through the subfloor. Just a little longer and it would have gone through the subfloor and gotten airflow into it and started a house fire. Tragedy averted and lesson learned.
 
Slow1 said:
I've posted this before and I believe others do this too -

During the colder part of the year (24/7 burning) it takes 3-4 weeks for me to fill my ash can. I have two of these, however so I fill one, then leave it sitting on the gravel outside while the second one is being filled.
Once the second is filled (now have two full cans) I dump the first one out somewhere 'safe' - i.e in a snowbank in the woods is one of my favorite places. These ashes will have sat there for at least 3 weeks, likely much longer (the bottom of the can will be up to 2x that age...).

So using this 'rotating' can approach I avoid dumping ashes from one container to another (messy) and the ashes sit in their can for a good amount of time. I have considered adding a third can to the rotation, but it just seems excessive with my disposal plans. If I were putting them into the trash via a box or anything then I would likely put a third can into it...
Click to expand...

That's what I'm going to do. (get a second can). Dennis asked why didn't I put them in the can? Actually, they were in the can and went into the cardboard box after a week and one half. With a second can, I can let them sit in one can for 3 weeks or so before emptying into a box for disposal (sorry, vegetable garden isn't big enough at my house to dispose of an entire winter's ashes)

Thanks for the advice on the second can.
 
Just don't sit the bucket outside on the snow and then try to figure out why you can't fine it later like a forum member did four years ago.
 

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joefrompa said:
Wow----I've only emptied twice so far, but both times into a plastic bucket that I set on my front outdoor concrete patio.

I did that once this morning...

!

I like the idea of spreading them thinly on the driveway for traction. Mine is nowhere near as steep, but it will have alot of ice form on it.
Click to expand...

Joe . . . time to upgrade to a covered metal pail . . . really . . . it would be a good idea . . . and yes . . . ash is fantastic for spreading on an ice-covered drive . . . both for traction on the ice and because it helps melt the ice quicker -- not so much due to the heat, but due to its gray color.
 
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