Hearthstone Mansfield Cleaning question

[PhoenixRising]

I have a Mansfield stove (Hearthstone soapstone) and I just checked the upper chamber by looking into the flue pipe and it is loaded with ash. As I am digging out the ash etc. I see there is an insulation material that is being ripped up and removed with the ash. Is that a problem? Does anyone have instruction on how to clean this part of the stove? Also how to inspect the baffle and verify that it is operating correctly, maybe a diagram of the stove construction. I have the owners manual and it is not helpful.

I have had the stove for approximately 8 years and sad to say I have never looked in this area. It is a great stove and I am just getting ready for the upcoming heating season.

Thanks for any help.

 

[DougA]

I had a layer of something that I first thought was insulation on mine but it was just hardened ash dust. The baffle should be fairly rigid, like a light weight cement board and anything on top of that should be vacuumed away.

 

[Dairyman]

There is a ceramic blanket on top of the baffle. I'd just vacuum what ash you can without getting into it.

Just look for cracks or holes in the baffle from below.

 

[webby3650]

I run a shop vac while I run my hand back and forth on the baffle. Just gently stir up the dust and suck it up with the vac. If the cerimac wool blanket has pieces missing then it should be replaced at some point.

 

[DougA]

Sorry for the wrong info. My Equinox does not have a ceramic blanket, only a baffle but the Mansfield does have a blanket. Not sure why the difference. I thought they were all the same design, just differing sizes.
http://www.hearthstoneparts.com/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=8012