Dust around the house (stove related?)

[bostonfan49]

This pic shows what I get after wiping 3-4 surfaces in any part of our large family room/kitchen eating area.
I do the equivalent of the monthly Enviro M55 cleaning every 6-7 days. I also remove the back CI panel every other week. I empty the ash bin either daily or every other day and use the scraper pull/push rod at least once a day. All my seals are good ( but wouldn't the insides be slightly negative pressure anyway...exhaust going out the exhaust?) I have an OAK. If I run a rolled up paper towel in the (cold) heat tubes, it comes out clean. So, I am assuming that everyone must have a small bit of black dust and it just goes with the territory. Two thoughts......One, I think our house is just naturally dusty and the stove sucks in the air and dust and basically bakes it as it exhausts it back out into the room......gray dust gets sucked in, heated to a very high temp...out it comes, baked black......? Two, Pellet dust and fines....I have never screened/filtered the pellets, but after reading the current thread on stove dust I wonder if that could contribute.....and if so, how? The other pic shows the ash that accumulates on the lower right and left sides of the auger, which I assume is normal....in this pic, it has been 6 days since a cleaning. Thanks, Bill

 

[moey]

What do you vacuum with? Emptying the ash pan every day will contribute no matter how careful you are everytime you open something that has ash in it something will come out.

 

[silverfox103]

The problem wouldn't be the vacuum you use? I speak from experience. Before I smartened up, I used a small shop vac. It had a hole in the bottom of the cannister. When I vacuumed out the stove, some of it blew out the hole. The floor was always dusty and the Mrs. was always complaining. I finally figured out the problem and threw the shop vac away and bought an ash vac.

Tom

 

[moey]

^^^ what they said.. I had a shop vac that the bag was not attached properly I cleaned on a sunny day once and could not believe the crap that was coming out the exhaust.

 

[Dgopetactical]

I get the dust also,I use a shop vac with a drywall filter and when the light is right you can see a tiny amount of dust coming out of the exhaust,

Opening the door while it's running to do a quick scoop and glass cleaning do not help either, it's lot cleaner than a fireplace though.

 

[bostonfan49]

I get the dust also,I use a shop vac with a drywall filter and when the light is right you can see a tiny amount of dust coming out of the exhaust,

Opening the door while it's running to do a quick scoop and glass cleaning do not help either, it's lot cleaner than a fireplace though.

*****I never open while running....... But this is my set-up. The filter on the end is just a "Muffler" doesn't really make it quieter but it changes the sound.....I suppose it could be the culprit, but don't many folks use the same set-up. The bag seal IS seated properly between the two plastic rings! Bill

 

[Dgopetactical]

I have a have the same vac but in a bigger version. I use a small particle filter (pink) and a drywall bag I have no muffler (exhaust filter)... I don't blow tons of dust but notice it's coming out sometimes.....bad thing about the drywall bag is it clogs very quickly.

I have used a lot of different shop vacs in my life and have yet to find one that doesn't let particles through to an extent.

 

[reallyte]

On my shop vac I throw a towel over the exhaust and it catches a lot of said dust.

 

[Dgopetactical]

On my shop vac I throw a towel over the exhaust and it catches a lot of said dust.

Great idea, do you dampen the towel?

 

[moey]

I now use a drywall filter with a pipe on the exhaust which goes out the window.

 

[bostonfan49]

On my shop vac I throw a towel over the exhaust and it catches a lot of said dust.

*****interesting? Dry or do you make it damp?

 

[johnny1720]

On my shop vac I attach a spare shop vac hose to the exhaust then I put it out the window. I get zero dust in the house and I don't have to keep cleaning those drywall filters out.

 

[Dgopetactical]

2 great ideas in one thread

 

[bostonfan49]

Wow what a great idea! I think this idea will close the thread for me But maybe others will see it! Thanks Johnny1720!! I am going to repost my pic of the inside of the stove and pursue my pellet dust/fines under the current "Dust" thread...

 

[reallyte]

Damp towel. Usually one that needs to be washed anyways at the end of the week after a shower. I just lay it over the exhaust and it catches a disgusting amount of dust. I use drywall bag and HEPA filter in the vac but the damp towel catches any extra dust.

 

[iceguy4]

CENTRAL VACUUM. once you have lived with one you will never go without again....advantages...too much vacuum (you will find yourself bleeding of vacuum on area rugs) exhausts outside (BIGGEST POINT) no smell... I put one in my present house FAST BTW I DONT use on my pellet stove....shop vacuum for that