Newbie questions: The dynamics of the wood-heating day

[brider]

I've ALMOST got the hearth pad finished (I'll post pics, it looks GREAT), but I can't help but wonder about all the intricacies of wood-heating that I'll be facing:

Do you dump the ash pan ONLY when the fire has burnt out, or can you dump it during a burn?

When you DO let your fire go out to clean out the box, is it a mad race to get it cleaned and a fire started up again before the house turns to ice?

My house is a 60's ranch with decent insulation and new windows, just wondering if there will be twice or three-times daily significant temperature drops as I (or hopefully my wife) re-build the fire.

Oh, it's a Harmon Oakwood.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

If you get up in the morning and it's low-coals- then dump it in an appropriate fire safe container and you're ready to relight. I don't have an "ash pan"- I shovel out. I save grab the remaining glowing coals (with my bare hands... sometimes I clasp them with my eyelids) and toss them back in as a starter for the next fire. If I had a really long burning stove or was heating with wood only, it might be more of an issue.

 

[fossil]

Brider, if your house "turns to ice" in the time it takes you to shovel out some ashes, then you either need some insulation or a new Latitude. I only shovel ashes out about every 4 or 5 days...depends on what you're burning in there, some species produce more ash than others. Be careful what you put the ashes in, and where you put the container...there will be hot coals in there for maybe as long as a couple of days. Rick

 

[Jags]

Brider, this is easy stuff. You will get your own routine down but:

Empty the ash pan when it needs it (try and do it during a "low fuel" or reload time)

Tending to the stove has 2 basic "levels"
Ya got the "load'er up, char it, tune it down - repeat" crowd. And ya got the "gonna throw on a couple of sticks, every couple of hours" crowd. That depends on YOU. The first category will probably yield more swings in the temp, but requires less messing around. The second method requires you to be there, but can give very even temps.

Difference in stoves, fuel, and needs will also dictate your method. I HIGHLY suggest trying the first method, you may be very surprised at the results and the length of burns you will get.

I will admit to using the second method if I am puttering around, but thats cuz I'm not a very good sit'er down'er.

Have fun trying both out.

 

[Henz]

ITs really all dependant on your stove. I nthe early am when I get up to go down and throw more wood one, rarely, and I mean rarely do I shovel out the ash. I bet I shovel out ash once a week and that is burning darn close to 24/7. Basically once I cant fit in 6-7 decent splits, then its time to remove some ash for me.
When I do remove ash, I plan on it for a relatively warm day, so that I am not throwing more splits on in the morning. I will let it burn down and do a good clean out. I let the oil furnace do the work that day. I shovel out ash as well, and let me tell you, shoveling out hot ash sucks because it tends to fly alot more no matter how careful you are dumping it in your bucket with the lid!

 

[Adios Pantalones]

In most stoves- some ash might actually help out as it reflects some heat. Like the others said- I probably clean it out twice a week or even less.

 

[brider]

Very Good!

I was expecting some wisecracks, and I forgot all about that oil heater. My goal is to reduce oil consumption this winter by 50%, and I'm sure I'll beat that, but I can't eliminate it, and it's good to remember it's there if/when I need it.

The ash pan on my Oakwood doesn't look all that big, maybe I won't be generating the amount of ashes I think I will...

 

[eernest4]

step 1. wait until the stove gets so full of ashes that you can't put in a decent load of wood.
step 2. wait for a warm day
step 3. wait for the fire to burn out & the coals to stop glowing, basically as close to a cold stove as you can manage.
step 4 . if the house gets cold while your doing all this waiting(see above) push the "on" button of your pellet stove.
step 5.fill up the steel ash bucket. It helps to open up the stove pipe damper to full open for max draft & to put the steel ash bucket as close to the open stove door as you can manage it
& I stuck my ash shovel on the end of a 5 foot broom handle so that tends to keep my face about 4 feet away from all the flying ash.
step 6. have a safe fireproof spot outside to dump the hot ashes, like on top of the leaf pile just after a heavy rainfall. Really Wet leafs never burn.

alternately ,you can dig a 4 ft hole in the ground to throw your ashes in but then some fool is going to fall into it and sue you so your probably better off with the wet leafs. :lol: ;-P

Step 7: if the leaves aren't wet enough, soak em down with a 5 gallon plastic bucket of water.
Step 8 hire some kid you don't like to rake up the leaves in the spring & make sure he uses a leif blower.

 

[M1sterM]

step 1. wait until the stove gets so full of ashes that you can't put in a decent load of wood.
step 2. wait for a warm day
step 3. wait for the fire to burn out & the coals to stop glowing, basically as close to a cold stove as you can manage.
step 4 . if the house gets cold while your doing all this waiting(see above) push the "on" button of your pellet stove.
step 5.fill up the steel ash bucket. It helps to open up the stove pipe damper to full open for max draft & to put the steel ash bucket as close to the open stove door as you can manage it
& I stuck my ash shovel on the end of a 5 foot broom handle so that tends to keep my face about 4 feet away from all the flying ash.
step 6. have a safe fireproof spot outside to dump the hot ashes, like on top of the leaf pile just after a heavy rainfall. Really Wet leafs never burn.

alternately ,you can dig a 4 ft hole in the ground to throw your ashes in but then some fool is going to fall into it and sue you so your probably better off with the wet leafs. :lol: ;-P

I dump my ashes in a galvanized trash can kept out side. Once a year or so (I don't quite fill it with a winter's worth of ashes from 5+ cords of wood), I dump them around the apple trees...i've heard the potassium in the wood ash is good for apple trees.

 

[woodconvert]

Very Good!

I was expecting some wisecracks, and I forgot all about that oil heater. My goal is to reduce oil consumption this winter by 50%, and I'm sure I'll beat that, but I can't eliminate it, and it's good to remember it's there if/when I need it.

The ash pan on my Oakwood doesn't look all that big, maybe I won't be generating the amount of ashes I think I will...

Just take note, when you empty the ash pan, don't leave the ash pan door open very long at all. No dawdling (a little Bob the Builder reset). Open it, yick out the pan (you can use your bare hands or eyelids if they are handier....) and shut the door then bolt for the door to your ash bucket or pile. I'm a sissy and use welding gloves to carry out the ash pan to my pile but even with the woosified welding gloves your tempo will get quicker the farther you get from the stove...my pile is around the back of the house so i've got a 90ft trip and lets just say I almost look like Carl Lewis by the time I get there.

 

[eernest4]

hey mister m,

I was wondering what I could use that old galvanized 55 gallon garbage pail
thats been sitting/laying/rolling around my back yard for the past 3 years for.

And all this time I been timing my stove cleanout for right after a rain storm so I could use a wet pile of leaves to dump the ashes on.

And there is the garbage pail just laying there unused, all this time.

Now I wont have to wait for it to rain before I clean out my stove!

 

[brider]

How many of you guys really have wet leaves or RAIN in the dead of winter?

I'm imagining me backing out the closest door with a full, glowing ashpan, only to have ol' man winter WHOOSH a dusty pile back into the face of my wife, who's standing there ready to close the door behind me. Would it be OK to laugh right then?

 

[HearthKB]

I'm imagining me backing out the closest door with a full, glowing ashpan, only to have ol' man winter WHOOSH a dusty pile back into the face of my wife, who's standing there ready to close the door behind me. Would it be OK to laugh right then?

If you want to be locked out for the rest of the winter go right ahead. But if you plan on getting back in, you better have some jewelry in your pocket for her!

 

[woodconvert]

How many of you guys really have wet leaves or RAIN in the dead of winter?

I'm imagining me backing out the closest door with a full, glowing ashpan, only to have ol' man winter WHOOSH a dusty pile back into the face of my wife, who's standing there ready to close the door behind me. Would it be OK to laugh right then?

No leaves, rare to have rain. As for laughing at the wife in such an instance....depends on if you are a thrill seeker or not. I know in my case i'd have to make it look like I really have no intention of laughing at the same time acting concerned...until i'd get around the side of the house and i'd lose it.

 

[RAY_PA]

Would it be OK to laugh right then?

LOL...absolutly! Why dont you post up the funeral home adress right now so we'll know where to send your flowers.

 

[Valhalla]

I dump the ashes in the compost pile. It is always wet and tempers the acid base.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

The compost pile will reach ~ pH7 when finished- the acidic phases are a normal part of the bacterial cycle, so the ashes may slow the process. I have added a mess of ashes to my compost with no real problem, however, and it does provide potassium.