Dealing with ashes

[clearblue16]

So the more seasoned the wood the less ashes are left in a nice modern stove right? What species of trees leave the least amount of ash? Any secret ways of minimizing ashes all over the house when you clean out the stove? Ashes are a sore subject with the wife!

 

[SolarAndWood]

My not so secret way of minimizing the mess is to only clean out the ashes every 2 to 3 weeks. I use a full size coal shovel to remove the ashes and take it outside to dump in the can instead of dumping it in the living room. Then do the best i can to clean it up well before the kids or dog track it around the house.

 

[DBoon]

I think an ash shovel and can work best. Just take your time, don't dump the ashes in the can - slowly lower the shovel into the can and let the ashes slide off to the bottom.

I've tried an ash vacuum - mine clogged and I couldn't fit the hose into the firebox very well. Ultimately, the hose connection to the vacuum broke and it cannot be easily repaired (must be replaced). The ash vacuums are designed for fireplaces where you have a lot of working room. I wouldn't go this route.

 

[thewoodlands]

So the more seasoned the wood the less ashes are left in a nice modern stove right? What species of trees leave the least amount of ash? Any secret ways of minimizing ashes all over the house when you clean out the stove? Ashes are a sore subject with the wife!

We bought this at the local hearth store, the ash can stays by the wood stove and when it is time to take out some ashes they go in here then directly outside in another garbage can.


zap

 

[rottiman]

Heres how I do it to minimize the ash fallout. I use a can similar to the one Zap has. I also use a shop vac. Using a small ash shovel I carefully scoop out a shovelful and place on the bottom of the can. At the same time I have the hose of the shop vac hovering over the top of the can. It grabs all of the ash dust that raises from the can when the ashes are put in. There is NO ASH DUST leaving the top of the can. Clean out of the stove is completely mess free. Lid goes back on can and outside it goes. I save my ashes all winter, and when the ice storms hit the ashes are spread on the hilly section of my driveway. They provide absolute traction on ice and don't harm the asphalt. Doing it this way puts a smile on the brides face and all is good.

 

[thewoodlands]

Heres how I do it to minimize the ash fallout. I use a can similar to the one Zap has. I also use a shop vac. Using a small ash shovel I carefully scoop out a shovelful and place on the bottom of the can. At the same time I have the hose of the shop vac hovering over the top of the can. It grabs all of the ash dust that raises from the can when the ashes are put in. There is NO ASH DUST leaving the top of the can. Clean out of the stove is completely mess free. Lid goes back on can and outside it goes. I save my ashes all winter, and when the ice storms hit the ashes are spread on the hilly section of my driveway. They provide absolute traction on ice and don't harm the asphalt. Doing it this way puts a smile on the brides face and all is good.

Please keep BEAR (Big Dog) on your side of the border. :zip:


zap

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So the more seasoned the wood the less ashes are left in a nice modern stove right? What species of trees leave the least amount of ash? Any secret ways of minimizing ashes all over the house when you clean out the stove? Ashes are a sore subject with the wife!

I have not noticed much difference in ashes no matter how wet or dry the wood. You will definitely get more coals from green wood so it may appear there are more ashes. I've never kept track of which type of tree gives how much ash but that might be an interesting thing to keep track of. Do we have any takers here? We burn mostly one type of wood now (white ash) because of dead and dieing trees so I can't do much on this right now.

Ashes! Yes, we all have to deal with them. As a young lad, one of my chores was to empty ashes from the heating stoves and the cook stove. That was my beginning chore with wood heat and it gradually increased to bringing wood in, then splitting wood, then gathering wood and finally doing the cutting. That was many, many moons ago. So, have I learned anything? Well, yes.

The very first thing I learned about emptying ashes is that they can create a lot of dust; both inside the house and outside. My first lesson was learned the hard way. I got ash dust all over the room and then when I went outside to dump the ashes, it was windy and I learned to dump so the ashes were on the downwind side! Cough, cough. Then I went back inside and was informed I had to dust and sweep the whole house to get rid of the ash dust. Did I mention I learned some things the hard way?

The first thing one learns about dumping ashes is....not to dump. You must handle ashes as if they are the most fragile thing you will have to handle. One scoops them out of the stove very, very gently. Then if one is using a bucket to put the ashes in, you never, never, never dump the ashes from the shovel. Remember, these things are very fragile. You gently lower the ash shovel into the container until it reaches the bottom. Then here is the real trick to emptying ashes. You gently slide the shovel from under the ashes.

Be careful now. There is a difference between sliding the ashes from the shovel or sliding the shovel from under the ashes. You may have to think about that one but it is true.



If you can do this, you will not have the mess with ashes and you won't have to dust everything after you finish. It takes very little time to learn (remember my lesson and learn from it else you will be sweeping and dusting like I did).



EDIT: I no longer do the ashes as my wife has insisted it is her job. This is what she uses for the ash container because it fits our stove so nice. The lip of the ash holder sits perfectly to the firebox door of the Fireview.

Ash holder

 

[Kenster]

I may not have learned yet just how deep the ashes can be in the bottom of the stove before it needs to be cleaned out but when I'm burning every night I will usually empty the stove every four or five days. I burn hickory and oak (mostly water oak) exclusively because that's pretty much all I have on my property. It burns down to a very fine ash. If the stove has gone cold there could well be no coals at all - just ash. One trick I have learned to keep a spray bottle of water handy. I use the one my wife uses when she irons clothes. It has a very fine mist setting. I spray the ashes real good in the fire box, gently slide them into the bucket, then gently spray a light mist into the bucket. Don't get too close with the spray bottle or the spray itself will cause the ashes to billow. The damp ashes are much easier to work with. Very little, if any, fallout.
Works for me!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Kenster, you are emptying your ashes way too often! I'd suggest you leave those ashes in the stove. Also, when you empty the ashes, do not clean them all out. Leave 2-3" or more in the bottom of the stove.

Just as an example, we started having night fires in September and there have been numerous days in October that we've burned 24 hours per day. We have yet to clean our ashes this fall. I dare say we are in a bit of a colder climate than you are so no doubt we have burned a lot more than you. Even at the coldest part of winter we won't dump ashes more often than every 4 days and most likely once per week.

 

[jadm]

I bought a small roasting pan that fits right into the firebox. I move all the ashes to one side of the box and then insert the pan in the space left.

I then carefully lift the ashes into the pan and slide the shovel out from under.

When I have taken all the ashes I want out (I leave about 2" in the firebox.) I put the lid onto the pan and remove it all from the firebox.

I take the roasting pan and empty it into a small METAL trash can I have outside on a CEMENT patio 10' away from the house and empty the contents into that container.

Once they are absolutely COLD - about a week - I empty the ashes into flower beds and lawns around our house.

No mess inside and minimal mess outside and nice bushes, flowers and lawns in the spring. ;-)

 

[Dix]

I bought a small roasting pan that fits right into the firebox. I move all the ashes to one side of the box and then insert the pan in the space left.

I then carefully lift the ashes into the pan and slide the shovel out from under.

When I have taken all the ashes I want out (I leave about 2" in the firebox.) I put the lid onto the pan and remove it all from the firebox.

I take the roasting pan and empty it into a small METAL trash can I have outside on a CEMENT patio 10' away from the house and empty the contents into that container.

Once they are absolutely COLD - about a week - I empty the ashes into flower beds and lawns around our house.

No mess inside and minimal mess outside and nice bushes, flowers and lawns in the spring. ;-)

Perp, I half expected an "ashes au jous" recipe ;-P

 

[savageactor7]

If you burn wood you'll have to clean up little messes...that's just the nature of the beast. With the sound advice above also lock down any fans you have running.

 

[mesuno]

Our stove has an ash pan under the grate - when you open the door you can slide it out. It isn't great to handle though as ashes tend to escape sides and edges.

I think that inevitably you end up clarning up some mess from around the stove - be it dirt/bark from your firewood or ashes. We just keep a little brush handy and *gently* sweep up dusty stuff into a corner. Once a week or so we clean properly. My dad usually cleans out the ash though, and I think his trick is to get a load of ash in the pan and slide it into a doubled plastic bag. Slide the pan out, leaving the ash behind.

I guess this isn't ideal as it depends on your ashes being completely cold.

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm a bit shocked to not see anyone comment on using an Ash Trap . . . didn't a few folks buy these a year or two back and love them?

 

[velvetfoot]

I still love mine. The outfit I bought mine from isn't around anymore and the place that does sell something like it only makes what seems to be a smaller model, which might work. Maybe ask the maker what the size is?

You can make the draft of the chimney work for you.

http://ashtrapper.com/

Edit: I got a response from the maker:

Ashtrapper actual dimensions

14” long 7” wide 5” high and handle is 5” long

Edit2: Here's a video of the old model; I have the large one. I take one big scoop and put it on a concrete floot.

http://www.youtube.com/user/fireplaceperson

 

[Bubbavh]

This may sound crazy... but when I burn Oak I usually have a lot of ash. If a put a load of pine on the heap of ash left by the oak, the pile of ash seems to get smaller. It seems as though the pine burns down the tiny coals that the oak leaves behind leaving less ash.
But you'll probably burn your house down burning the pine!