Dust From Fireplace Insert

[realclean]

We have a an old Earth Stove Model BV-4000 inserted in a Majestic RC36 fireplace. The installation required an "off-set" . We then used 6" stove (about 15 feet) run through 10" masonry chimney that exits out our single story home chimney. See figures



We have been burning for nearly 15 years. Wife and I both love it, cut and split wood together, enjoying dinner and drinks in front, etc. We certainly aren't pristine hearth masters mostly cutting standing dead hard wood without any real aging process over about 6-8 months in piles outdoors. We don't use catalytic insert as it seemed we did not have quite enough draft to really pull the air through. Might be off-set. However, Spring cleaning always reveals lots and lots of dust. We have a glass coffee table in front of hearth and after a good fire with blower on you can always see dust. Can't figure??? You can't really get all around fire box to clean stove where fresh air circulates so maybe its all captured in there and we should take insert out and hose it down in off season. Anyway looking for suggestions, solution, etc.

 

[webbie]

I would say two things come to mind...

1. Is there a tight seal of some sort where the 6" pipe goes up into the 10" pipe? If not, lots of dust from the chimney would fall onto the top of the insert and with backdrafts and leaks, etc. find it's way into the airflow sooner or later.

2. All prefab fireplaces and inserts with air chambers tend to move a lot of air by convection, so they effectively pick up dust from all around the house and then spread it around nearby, etc.

A good air filter in the room could definitely help. But just about everyone who owns a space heater will report more dust because of the excess air movement.

 

[Dix]

What dust??

 

[webbie]

What dust??

Careful, I went to military school, I'll come in there with my white gloves!

I know even our gas fireplace builds up and spreads dust.....seems like a magnet for the stuff!