Ash leak, help!

[gfreek]

Yes, we use a cool mist humidifier

Could the white dust be coming from there?? Some humidifiers spew white dust

 

[Sasquatch76]

Could the white dust be coming from there?? Some humidifiers spew white dust

I doubt it, we use distilled water in ours.

I did find white ash plumes on the sides of my stove after removing the side panels, no idea where they're coming from though.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Could the white dust be coming from there?? Some humidifiers spew white dust

Ultrasonic humidifier, yes, cool mist no. Cool mist is a wick type. All the minerals stay in the wick...we have 2.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I doubt it, we use distilled water in ours.

I did find white ash plumes on the sides of my stove after removing the side panels, no idea where they're coming from though.

One thing is obvious and that is you don't have enough humidity in your air in your house. I think the word 'plume' is a bit overkill. How about a stain of....

 

[Sasquatch76]

One thing is obvious and that is you don't have enough humidity in your air in your house. I think the word 'plume' is a bit overkill. How about a stain of....

Yeah, couldn't think of another word for it. Stain works.

After adjusting the air intake, still burning great, haven't detect any ash collecting in my house. Hopefully the problems solved. Still going to check out a couple of air filters, couldn't hurt.

 

[chken]

Yes, we use a cool mist humidifier.

Humidifiers can leave calcium dust on things

 

[SidecarFlip]

Humidifiers can leave calcium dust on things

Not really for 2 reasons. One' he's using distilled water so no minerals present and two, cool mist is really a wick so no calcium gets past the wick itself, exactly what we have as well.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Yeah, couldn't think of another word for it. Stain works.

After adjusting the air intake, still burning great, haven't detect any ash collecting in my house. Hopefully the problems solved. Still going to check out a couple of air filters, couldn't hurt.

I run an K&N washable air filter on my convection air fan intake but you can size a Fram as well. That cut down on my dust issues appreciably but you do have to clean it regularly. Not a put it on and forget it scenario.

 

[Sasquatch76]

*sigh* I'm stupid. I feel stupid. Wasn't the stove at all. Why didn't I read up on the humidifier my father has been using? It's not a cool mist, it's ultra-sonic. And the "distilled water" he's been using in it was actually our well water that's where the white residue was coming from!

Mystery solved. I went out and bought some real distilled water, and a couple HEPA air purifiers.

Thanks for the help everybody, and thanks for this site, I've learned a lot about pellet stoves from lurking here.
Glad I decided to join.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I'm kinda amazed that well water and ultrasonic humidifiers will go together. Most well water is mineral laden and most ultrasonic humidifiers clog up from mineral water

Least you now know where the white stuff is coming from. I would replace the ultrasonic humidifiers with cool mist wick types anyway. Much better far as airborne contaminants are concerned. We have 2 btw.

 

[Sasquatch76]

I'm kinda amazed that well water and ultrasonic humidifiers will go together. Most well water is mineral laden and most ultrasonic humidifiers clog up from mineral water

Least you now know where the white stuff is coming from. I would replace the ultrasonic humidifiers with cool mist wick types anyway. Much better far as airborne contaminants are concerned. We have 2 btw.

Yes, I'm surprised it worked at all. My parent's water has a bit of limestone in it. I know I can breath a lot better now, and if it was bothering me, I know it was bothering my dad who has COPD. That's why we got rid of the wood stove in the first place.

I know they've had the cool mist type in the past, but they did not work so well and didn't last long, I imagine it was the well water that destroyed them. Thanks, I'll have to look into one again.

 

[gfreek]

Glad you figured it out. What brought it to my attention was that I've been shopping for humidifiers and have hard water too..& ultrasonics can leave white dust

 

[SidecarFlip]

Yes, I'm surprised it worked at all. My parent's water has a bit of limestone in it. I know I can breath a lot better now, and if it was bothering me, I know it was bothering my dad who has COPD. That's why we got rid of the wood stove in the first place.

I know they've had the cool mist type in the past, but they did not work so well and didn't last long, I imagine it was the well water that destroyed them. Thanks, I'll have to look into one again.

For the both of you, I get my water out of a city water tap in Toldeo, which is south of me a ways but any municipal water source will do actually. I have lots of lime too so I fill 4 seven gallon plastic RV water jugs (from Walmart) and haul that home for the humidifiers every 4 days. PITA but doable.

 

[Sasquatch76]

Been checking out home water distillers, a little pricey, but in the long run it would be a money saver over having to buy distilled water all the time. We already filter our water for drinking. I still wouldn't trust using it in the humidifier or using chlorinated municipal tap water.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Been checking out home water distillers, a little pricey, but in the long run it would be a money saver over having to buy distilled water all the time. We already filter our water for drinking. I still wouldn't trust using it in the humidifier or using chlorinated municipal tap water.

The Toledo stuff I use is heavily chloronated but the Chlorine stays behind, in the wick. We change out the wicks in both every month and buy in bulk from Amazon.com (bestaire). I have had no issues whatsoever. Not sure but I believe an RO unit might work to strip the lime. Our water is fine other than the lime. Nothing of consequence according to the health department.

 

[gfreek]

I have a wick type humidifier a week old. I also have a water system and will see how it works out. Also use a Zero Water purifier which does change the TDS (total disolved solids) of the water, and try to use that when I can..

Been checking out home water distillers, a little pricey, but in the long run it would be a money saver over having to buy distilled water all the time.

Good idea but I think you'll be running that 24/7. Had one..

 

[Lake Girl]

Glad you found out what was causing the problem - was going to post that it reminded me of drywall dust. Well water with lime or calcium would do it Just the drop in humidity alone will cause breathing problems in the winter.

Carbon filters will remove chlorines and such (why Brita filters are popular) but not minerals and salts.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/193977-what-do-carbon-filters-remove-from-water/

Make sure you hang around the forum

 

[Bioburner]

The very high chemical activity of chlorine makes it very easy to let it simply evaporate from a open container. Set your container out where it wont freeze and take off the lid and let it air out a couple days. The reason it was quickly abandoned as a chemical weapon in WW1

 

[SidecarFlip]

The very high chemical activity of chlorine makes it very easy to let it simply evaporate from a open container. Set your container out where it wont freeze and take off the lid and let it air out a couple days. The reason it was quickly abandoned as a chemical weapon in WW1

I knew you'd know but it was still interesting anyway. Toledo usus a lot of chlorine..they have the algae issue....lol

 

[ktenn]

Anyone still on this thread? We have been having the same issue with the white dust!! The example on the trash bags is exactly our issue. We have humidifiers so that might be part of it but some seems like it must be coming from the stove too. We don't have an outside air intake... the installer said we shouldn't need it, but I am wondering if that's the issue. We are to the point of ditching the stove we get so much dust - but we have loved it. It's so tough.