Hello All, I want to share an ash removal method that I'm using to clean my stove. It is a Hearthstone Homestead with an ash pan that I chose not to use because it's not all that convenient and I don't like the repeated making and breaking of the sliding seal. It's one more thing to have to maintain so I don't use it. I'm sure that I'm not the first to use this method but I hadn't seen it in any of the ash cleaning threads so here it is.
I got Graniteware 18" covered roasting pan from Target for 11 bucks and place it right in the stove while I shovel it full of ash. I slide it from one side to the other to complete the task and I'm not too fussy about throwing "good" coals away. Any airborne ash goes up the chimney during the shoveling process because the roasting pan is in the stove. The pan gets pretty hot so you have to wear gloves and be careful about where you set it down. When the task is complete, I slide the pan out of the stove and put it down gently on my hearth where I place the cover and carry it outside to my covered metal ash can. I wait until I have good daylight before transferring the ash to the ash can so I can more easily dodge the resulting ash plume. The bottom of the pan doesn't seem to get much ash on it so it's not an ash spreading surface. This low dust method works really well, you just have to be careful carrying the hot pan through your house. You could leave it covered in a safe place near your stove if you thought that would work better. Any ideas for improving the method are welcome.
By the way, I'm really enjoying my first wood burning season and I appreciate all of the knowledge that is shared on this great site!
Thanks, Alpine
I got Graniteware 18" covered roasting pan from Target for 11 bucks and place it right in the stove while I shovel it full of ash. I slide it from one side to the other to complete the task and I'm not too fussy about throwing "good" coals away. Any airborne ash goes up the chimney during the shoveling process because the roasting pan is in the stove. The pan gets pretty hot so you have to wear gloves and be careful about where you set it down. When the task is complete, I slide the pan out of the stove and put it down gently on my hearth where I place the cover and carry it outside to my covered metal ash can. I wait until I have good daylight before transferring the ash to the ash can so I can more easily dodge the resulting ash plume. The bottom of the pan doesn't seem to get much ash on it so it's not an ash spreading surface. This low dust method works really well, you just have to be careful carrying the hot pan through your house. You could leave it covered in a safe place near your stove if you thought that would work better. Any ideas for improving the method are welcome.
By the way, I'm really enjoying my first wood burning season and I appreciate all of the knowledge that is shared on this great site!
Thanks, Alpine