30nc hood ash cleaning ?

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sportbikerider78

Minister of Fire
Jun 23, 2014
2,493
Saratoga, NY
I've been running it pretty full bore for a while but it seems like it is not getting quite the amount of air out of the front doghouse as it used to. I find myself leaving the air adjustment out a little bit when I used to cut it completely down. I also find that it is it boring a red hot hole in the center of the stack, as was common.

Can ash get down in that little hole in the hood? If so..how do I clean it out?

Thanks!!
 
A few times this season when it was cool enough to shut the stove down, I switched the shop vac into blower mode and blew some air up through each of the two holes that connect to the dog house while plugging the other one. I wasn't having problems, but I figured that it couldn't hurt.

That said, I did have that problem with my 30 twice so far this winter. But the issue was draft, specifically fly ash deposits inside of the pipe connecting to my chimney. There was about a 1/2 inch layer all around, and about 1-1 1/2 inches laying in the bottom of my lateral connection to the chimney. This was enough to change the behavior of the stove.
 
Can ash get down in that little hole in the hood
I would lean on a dirty chimney or restricted cap before thinking the dog house is getting clogged, the dog house brings in positive air so its blowing out, not sucking in
 
I would lean on a dirty chimney or restricted cap before thinking the dog house is getting clogged, the dog house brings in positive air so its blowing out, not sucking in

The only time it wouldn't be is when the door is open. Just be careful if the ash is deep and up to the hole. I doubt the hole is plugged up.
 
Ok..I'll check it out. I highly doubt I have any cap or pipe restrictions. Burned low quality wood all last year and had nothing. I'll take a look.
 
Wouldn't hurt a thing to suck on that hole really hard with the shop vac hose.
 
Mine too started to perform poorly when draft was reduced from a little chimney fluff. After February cleaning performance came right back.