Ash Vacuum

Has anyone purchased an Ash Vacuum? Whats the cheapest I can get one and could I just use a small shop vac instead. I seen prices for these vacs online for over $200! I just want something cheap to clean my stove once a week.

I have been using a shop vac for years. What is the harm in using it? I don't have any dust or ash enter the house when I use it.

I've been using the Stinger vac from Home Depot and am very pleased.

Kilarney, what filter do you use in your stinger vac?

ebay

It's a paper filter that is designed for the vac. I've never had any problems with ash coming out of the vacuum. However, it is definitely not meant to handle warm ashes.

I use the 20 minute rule on my castile. When the fire is on high, with a full feed, I knock down the thermostat and wait 20 minutes. That is just about 5 minutes after the blower stops running. Never had an issue.

I've heard of people's vacs catching on fire when using it to vacuum ashes. I guess I would have to wait some time before vacuuming. I wonder how long the filters last though.

I have a craftsman 16 gal wet/dry vac. I have used the pleated cartridge filter it came with for vacuuming drywall dust many times, and have never had any dust blow back into the room. I think it may be a HEPA filter. I have never vacuumed ash - is ash any finer than drywall dust? Or am I all set with what I have? Obviously, I would be vacuuming cool ashes only.

16 gallon shop vac here. Use with drywall bags to vac out stove
when cooled down. I do a complete vac job once a month on the stove.
I let it cool down for a couple hours then have at it.
The majority of the ash I dump from the ash pan into my garden so
only have to vac what's in the ash traps and little nooks in the stove.

My stove runs 24/7 when the heating season begins and in 3 years
I've never had to vacuum the stove weekly and it runs A+ with the
maintenance I do. The ash pan on this stove is huge though so I can
see not being able to go as long with a smaller pan but even then, weekly for a
full cleanout seems like more work than needed to keep most quality stoves
running well.

My stove doesn't have an ash pan. I have to keep it cleaned weekly, thats why I'm concerned about which vacuum to use. I might try using a small shop vac, but will need to make sure there are no hot ashes in the stove.

What? No love for the Loveless? Pricey but it does the job it's designed for, and I use the ash in my garden.

A vac equipped with a hepa filter will indeed filter the finest particles.

Save your cash for the pellets. Use a shop vac.

Eric