Warning - possible stupid question

[Hills Hoard]

I cleaned out my wood heater insert the other night and there was a layer of brown burnt looking crust about an inch thick on the bottom . it all crumbled away and broke off into chunks as a scraped the bottom out. Was this old burnt wood/ash or an insulating layer built into the heater? Worth noting the previous tenants in the house we bought clearly knew nothing about burning and suspect the didnt clean the chimney and also burnt wet chit wood. Thanks in advance...

 

[firefighterjake]

Sounds like a clinker . . . hard mineral deposits found in the wood that get left behind in the ash sometimes after a fire.

 

[mellow]

Sounds like the chimney has a water leak and it is coming into the firebox and it was rusted out.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

It's the enemies of the last tenant. Or clinker. Can't be sure.

 

[Sprinter]

Sounds like the chimney has a water leak and it is coming into the firebox and it was rusted out.

Now that would be scary. Is bottom of the firebox where you got the scale steel or firebrick?

In any case, considering the suspect history, I think I'd carefully inspect the whole system, stove and stack, by a qualified inspector/sweep if you are not comfortable doing it.

What kind of stove?

 

[Hills Hoard]

cheers for the replies. i'm surprised you guys could understand my post as I had just come back from my parents with my wife and dad had me sampling shiraz and some old muscat The dangers of operating a computer after drinks!

I am pretty sure it wasn't rust....it was like an over cooked biscuit...here is the wood heater sprinter...

 

[ScotO]

First off, the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask.....we're all here to help each other out, so don't sell yourself short.....
Don't ever be afraid to ask ANY questions, that's how we all learn on here! I think our resident fire fighter Jake nailed it.....sounds like the same clinkers I get with maple (especially silver maple). Or maybe AP got it right......the previous owners of your home may have been serial killers......

Ever see the '80's movie "The 'Burbs"?

 

[Hills Hoard]

First off, the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask.....we're all here to help each other out, so don't sell yourself short.....
Don't ever be afraid to ask ANY questions, that's how we all learn on here!

thanks scotty. much appreciated.

 

[Sprinter]

.it was like an over cooked biscuit...

So it's clinkers most likely. A lot of wood has minerals in it which melt together to form those things.

 

[Adios Pantalones]