Getting the ash out

[holland_patrick]

Well after two year I've finally got nice seasoned wood and I can keep the fire going 24/7. My question is what should I do about the ash that is building up I have an Avalon Olympic stove and I'm pretty full with ash. I've got a weeks worth of it in there. There is no ash pan just flat floor on my stove.

Thanks guys

 

[jwoair23]

I just take my shovel, push the hot coals over to one side. and shovel out the ash. Push the coals back to over to the side you just shoveled, and shovel that side. Make sure you put the ashes in a secure metal container with a lid, as there will certainly be some hot coals/embers mixed in with it. Shovel it gently, sliding out the ash, to avoid an ash cloud. There should be plenty of coals left in the stove to get it going again!

Then take that container and put it in a secure place, I put it on my concrete sidewalk away from my house. Let it sit there for 1-3 days, then dispose of it in your garden/garbage etc.

 

[thewoodlands]

Well after two year I've finally got nice seasoned wood and I can keep the fire going 24/7. My question is what should I do about the ash that is building up I have an Avalon Olympic stove and I'm pretty full with ash. I've got a weeks worth of it in there. There is no ash pan just flat floor on my stove.

Thanks guys

When we burn 24/7 we usually clean some ahes out on Sunday into a metal bucket with a top, it goes outside in a 30 gallon metal garbage can in the woods with the top held down with a bungee cord.

I don't dump the ashes out of the 30 gallon metal garbage can until June.

 

[Ashful]

Ditto what the others said, but to add to jwoair's statement, don't dump it in the garbage can until either:

1. it's been sitting a week or two (see BAR's recent post about hot coals in his can after a week!)
2. you're taking that trash can to the curb (away from the house).

I usually wait until I'm wheeling my garbage can to the curb to dump my ash can into the garbage. I try to make sure there are no live coals, but if I do manage to miss one, the garbage fire will happen on the street, several hundred feet from any woods or building.

Many stove manuals suggest you leave at least 1" ash in the bottom of your stove. I find that each fire will produce less ash than the one before, as much of the ash left in the stove after one fire will burn up in subsequent fires.

 

[Augie]

Into a metal Bucket then set outside in the middle of a concrete patio for 72-120 hrs. Gets a stir and a hand set real close a couple of times to make sure they are fully out. Then they are dumped onto the Garden or Compost pile.

 

[jwoair23]

I still don't understand what is different between my coals and everyone elses? I have dumped my bucket after one day over a hundred times and they are always stone cold? Is it my container that is different, why are everyone's coals staying active so long? I take out glowing red coals at times, and I usually fill a 1.5ish gallon bucket, and they are never hot whatsoever by the next day?

Caution is important I agree of course, I just don't understand whats different?

 

[Ashful]

I have dumped my bucket after one day over a hundred times and they are always stone cold? Is it my container that is different, why are everyone's coals staying active so long?

Most folks have the same experience as you... most of the time. I think live coals after 1 week is an extraordinary exception, but it has been reported here by reputable sources.

 

[Augie]

Mine are usually cold after 12 hrs, but it isn't an issue to leave em sit in the bucket longer than that. I usually empty the bucket of ash when i need to empty the stove, So they sit for 4 days to a week sometimes.

 

[jwoair23]

Most folks have the same experience as you... most of the time. I think live coals after 1 week is an extraordinary exception, but it has been reported here by reputable sources.

Fair enough, I was just wondering if I was doing something strange or different! I totally agree though that the longer you can let them sit, the safer you are, no harm in that!

 

[jeff_t]

I usually wait until I'm wheeling my garbage can to the curb to dump my ash can into the garbage. I try to make sure there are no live coals, but if I do manage to miss one, the garbage fire will happen on the street, several hundred feet from any woods or building.

I'm sure your garbage man doesn't want to dump his load out in the middle of the road. I've watched it happen, though it was probably because of somebody's charcoal from the grill, and not wood ashes.

 

[jwoair23]

I'm sure your garbage man doesn't want to dump his load out in the middle of the road. I've watched it happen, though it was probably because of somebody's charcoal from the grill, and not wood ashes.

I know that's not funny in any way, but I have to admit I chuckled at the thought of a massive flaming load of garbage being dumped in the middle of a neighborhood street. That would be a sight!

You have actually seen that happen?

 

[jeff_t]

I know that's not funny in any way, but I have to admit I chuckled at the thought of a massive flaming load of garbage being dumped in the middle of a neighborhood street. That would be a sight!

You have actually seen that happen?

A few miles away from a landfill. Met a fire truck coming from the other way.

 

[Curly]

I usually dump mine over the neighbor's fence just to shut his yappy dog up.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I still don't understand what is different between my coals and everyone elses? I have dumped my bucket after one day over a hundred times and they are always stone cold? Is it my container that is different, why are everyone's coals staying active so long? I take out glowing red coals at times, and I usually fill a 1.5ish gallon bucket, and they are never hot whatsoever by the next day?

Caution is important I agree of course, I just don't understand whats different?

Probably no difference. However, it only takes once.... We've seen on this forum pictures of the mess after someone put a bucked of ash on their deck and several days later...it wasn't pretty. Why take the chance.

 

[Slow1]

I know that's not funny in any way, but I have to admit I chuckled at the thought of a massive flaming load of garbage being dumped in the middle of a neighborhood street. That would be a sight!

You have actually seen that happen?

I seem to recall someone posting pictures of such an event once - I wouldn't want to be near that (imagine the smell!) but I agree, there is all sorts of humor to be seen in the situation as long as you ignore the practical aspects and risks.

 

[oldogy]

I empty the ash pan directly onto my "fall tilled" garden spot. Unless it is windy, of course.

 

[brokenknee]

I know that's not funny in any way, but I have to admit I chuckled at the thought of a massive flaming load of garbage being dumped in the middle of a neighborhood street. That would be a sight!

You have actually seen that happen?

I used to haul garbage over thirty years ago and this did happen to me. Fortunately I found a vacant lot and dumped my load before the truck caught on fire. Was some minor damage to the hydraulic hoses but nothing serious. I did know were I picked the hot load up. Company charged them for clean up and damage to the truck.

So think before you put your hot ashes out for the garbage man. It may cost you.

 

[fossil]

I know that's not funny in any way, but I have to admit I chuckled at the thought of a massive flaming load of garbage being dumped in the middle of a neighborhood street. That would be a sight!...

Not that it happens every day in every neighborhood, but it's not really as uncommon an occurrence as one might hope...you can find multiple stories about it with a simple Google search. Drivers are trained to do it, because those trucks are very expensive. If they have any opportunity to safely dump the burning load of trash (paved street, empty parking lot, wherever)...that's what they're gonna do every time they realize their load's on fire.

 

[brokenknee]

I live in the country now and dump my ashes right on my gravel drive.

 

[jwoair23]

I used to haul garbage over thirty years ago and this did happen to me. Fortunately I found a vacant lot and dumped my load before the truck caught on fire. Was some minor damage to the hydraulic hoses but nothing serious. I did know were I picked the hot load up. Company charged them for clean up and damage to the truck.

So think before you put your hot ashes out for the garbage man. It may cost you.

Wow, I never ever thought about the risk of a fire in a garbage truck before, but now that I think about it, I am sure there are a lot of careless people out there that would make this possible.

How did you know where you picked the hot load up?

 

[brokenknee]

Wow, I never ever thought about the risk of a fire in a garbage truck before, but now that I think about it, I am sure there are a lot of careless people out there that would make this possible.

How did you know where you picked the hot load up?

I saw the ashes when I dumped. When the company safety director talked to them they fessed up that the ashes may not have had time to totally die out.

 

[corey21]

I just take my shovel, push the hot coals over to one side. and shovel out the ash. Push the coals back to over to the side you just shoveled, and shovel that side. Make sure you put the ashes in a secure metal container with a lid, as there will certainly be some hot coals/embers mixed in with it. Shovel it gently, sliding out the ash, to avoid an ash cloud. There should be plenty of coals left in the stove to get it going again!

Then take that container and put it in a secure place, I put it on my concrete sidewalk away from my house. Let it sit there for 1-3 days, then dispose of it in your garden/garbage etc.

Same here except it goes into a compost pile after a week or so.

 

[Curly]

but now that I think about it, I am sure there are a lot of careless people out there that would make this possible.

If it weren't for careless people, I wouldn't have a job. The majority of responses we get for Automatic fire alarms are from unattended cooking. Especially when the drunks come home late at night and decide they want to make something to eat. Ok, back on topic.

 

[BobUrban]

Wood ash has some incredible insulating qualities - I am no engineer or physics guy but I just know they do. It has been used for centuries to aneal steel and many modern blacksmiths continue to use it this way. I have a steel bucket full of fine wood ash in the shop where I forge my knives and use it for just this purpose. If I take a rough forged knife blank out of the forge(Glowing red/orange) and stuff it into the ash bucket to let it cool slowly(aneal) it can remain hot for a day and clearly warm to the touch for two days or more depending on outside temps and conditions. Better safe than sorry is my(and much of this forums) motto.

 

[bad69bird]

I let ashes sit outside on the walk in a closed metal containter from monday night to saturday night, Sat night i dumped into the garbage can, I have one of those 90 gallon guys. As i dumped I saw a few embers so I loaded the can up with snow and kept checking on it. Well about 11 oclock at Night my dog started going nuts. I walked out side to find a massive fireball about 3ft from my cedar sided house. I was very very fornute and lucklily when I called the company up to get a replacement can i explained what happened and told them I understood I would have to pay for a new can, The nice lady said no problem no charge just hope you learned your lesson