Creosote buried in ashes

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I just did my first real clean out of ash after about 20 fires I've had since the season started.

During reloads I usually just lightly pull forward any coals I see poking up through the ash, but I'm not to diligent about getting every one and I try not to scrape the bricks on the floor.

When cleaning I scraped a little more and realized what I thought was the brick under the ash in places was a flattened crunchy grey stuff. See pic for sample.

I've had this before but never gave it much thought. Is this creosote that means I'm doing something wrong? I burn hot and bricks and glass are clean - never have to clean anything other than scoop out excess ash. I think these are just coals that have many loads put on top with the ash keeping the oxygen away. Not worried - should I be?

 

[peakbagger]

Its not probably not creosote, its clinker. The mineral in the ash can fuse together into a solid.

 

[Highbeam]

Yes, those are klinkers. Totally normal. I get them in both cat and non-cat stoves.

 

[BigFir]

I was wondering about this stuff too.......

 

[peakbagger]

If you want to go deep in it, there is something called the ash fusion temperature, different constituents of ash have different fusion temperatures. It can raise heck with biomass boilers where the ash can plug the downstream heat transfer areas.

 

[firefighterjake]

Clinkers . . . perfectly normal to see. No need to worry.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Thanks everyone. Been hanging around here for a few years and never ran across that term. Nice to know there's still stuff you don't know. Makes you want to stick around to find out more.