entering my second season of burning... what should i do before the first fire of fall 2010?

[par0thead151]

i have had my chimney cleaned, inspected the bricks for damage, cleaned out all the ashes, cleaned the fans on my blower, and checked the two slats that sit on top of the secondary burners.
am i missing anything?

 

[wendell]

Get wood?

 

[par0thead151]

Get wood?

aaah, damn thats what i was forgetting...
lol

 

[soupy1957]

Personally, I would have LEFT a half inch or so of the ash IN the stove, as an insulating layer. Can you get your hands on the ash you took out (still in the "can" outside the house)??

"Inspected the bricks".........while I understand this, at the same time, we too are only on our second season of burning with this stove. I'd figure that the bricks are fine, but I'll take a look anyway.

Did you check the door gasket to see if it is still properly glued to the door? They get loose and old and need replacing from time to time. You know the value of a good seal!

Have you started to accumulate the kindling of choice that you need for this season (newspapers, small kindling pieces, etc.)?

Bought yourself any new tools like a moisture meter and such? Replaced the batteries in them?

And speaking of batteries.........have you put new ones in your smoke detectors and CO Detectors?

What kind of condition are your stove tools in? need to replace any? (Shovel, brush, poker, etc.)

If you have small kids running around (children, grandchildren)........do you have adequate fencing or protection around the stove to keep them from burning themselves?

These are the kinds of things that are worth thinking about before the next burning season.

-Soupy1957

 

[firefighterjake]

Personally, I would have LEFT a half inch or so of the ash IN the stove, as an insulating layer. Can you get your hands on the ash you took out (still in the "can" outside the house)??

"Inspected the bricks".........while I understand this, at the same time, we too are only on our second season of burning with this stove. I'd figure that the bricks are fine, but I'll take a look anyway.

Did you check the door gasket to see if it is still properly glued to the door? They get loose and old and need replacing from time to time. You know the value of a good seal!

Have you started to accumulate the kindling of choice that you need for this season (newspapers, small kindling pieces, etc.)?

Bought yourself any new tools like a moisture meter and such? Replaced the batteries in them?

And speaking of batteries.........have you put new ones in your smoke detectors and CO Detectors?

What kind of condition are your stove tools in? need to replace any? (Shovel, brush, poker, etc.)

If you have small kids running around (children, grandchildren)........do you have adequate fencing or protection around the stove to keep them from burning themselves?

These are the kinds of things that are worth thinking about before the next burning season.

-Soupy1957

Soupy added two excellent points . . . well all the points were good . . . but checking the gaskets with the dollar bill test was a very good point . . . and ditto for making sure the smoke detectors and CO detectors are good to go . . . remember . . . change the batteries in these at least once a year and smoke detectors should be changed out (the entire detector) every 10 years and CO detectors need to be changed out every 5-7 years (depends on the manufacturer.)

 

[soupy1957]

High praise, Jake! Thanks! I'm honored that I finally said something worth something, in here!! (lol)

-Soupy1957

 

[pyper]

Personally, I would have LEFT a half inch or so of the ash IN the stove, as an insulating layer.

Why? What are you insulating?

I keep mine empty all the time. I'm far from being any kind of expert though.

My wife has a 401k and the company has gone to producing one book with all their prospectus in it. It's the size of a phone book for a mid sized city, and made from the same paper. In other words, it's a nicely bound stack of fire starter!

 

[vvvv]

Personally, I would have LEFT a half inch or so of the ash IN the stove, as an insulating layer.

Why? What are you insulating?

I keep mine empty all the time. I'm far from being any kind of expert though.

My wife has a 401k and the company has gone to producing one book with all their prospectus in it. It's the size of a phone book for a mid sized city, and made from the same paper. In other words, it's a nicely bound stack of fire starter!

So when 1st fire is made the fine ash can get agitated & carried up into the chimney.= no need to insulate firebrick floor ithinx

 

[oldspark]

SOP, a layer of ash will make the fire box and fire brick last longer, been done this way for ever.

 

[soupy1957]

+1 oldspark

-Soupy1957

 

[firefighterjake]

Personally, I would have LEFT a half inch or so of the ash IN the stove, as an insulating layer.

Why? What are you insulating?

I keep mine empty all the time. I'm far from being any kind of expert though.

My wife has a 401k and the company has gone to producing one book with all their prospectus in it. It's the size of a phone book for a mid sized city, and made from the same paper. In other words, it's a nicely bound stack of fire starter!

I wouldn't worry about the ash right now . . . in the Spring I clean my firebox out completely . . . but once I start burning I keep an inch or two in the firebox . . . helps insulate the base . . . and perhaps just as important . . . it helps "save" your hot coals for those long, overnight burns.

 

[wendell]

Yes, you definitely want to leave a layer of ash in the firebox during burning season but not during the summer when it can hold moisture and cause rusting.

 

[rdust]

Yes, you definitely want to leave a layer of ash in the firebox during burning season but not during the summer when it can hold moisture and cause rusting.

Agree! I'll have a nice layer of ash after a fire or two. I'm not looking for a long fire right of rip anyway, I'm just wanting to knock the cold out of the house.

 

[begreen]

I would suggest sitting back with a nice brew of your pleasure. Heck, we were burning so late this year that I haven't touched the stove yet.