A few questions. Cleaning firebox and humidity

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ozarkoak

Feeling the Heat
Nov 1, 2020
256
Arkansas
Where I live it could be 70 degrees one day and 18 and blowing snow the next. Somedays I let my firebox go totally cold. Should I leave an ash layer or just clean it out when it goes cold? My next "question" is more of an observation. When the house is cool and a new fire is started I get the feeling of humidity as the house starts to heat. I was wondering if someone knows the physics of why that happens? it does not last for long only an hour or two and I don't see a rise on my humidity gauge.
 
Air heats faster than things. So your couch feels cold which your body interprets as wet or clammy.

Leave the ash. We went from 61 this morning to 35 and snow accumulation this evening.
 
Keep the ash.
 
I keep a layer of ash at all times until burning season is over. Then I will clean it out good for the summer. As far as the humidity I think highbeam had a good explanation.