House Fire

[aussiedog3]

Its early in the season and it has happened already.
Luckily no one was hurt, house is a total loss.
Don't put ashes in your trash can, spread them outside in a a safe place and make sure they are cold out.
Just a little too close for comfort.
I will try to attach a link to the story.
(broken link removed to http://www.hollandsentinel.com/topstories/x1233651664/Early-morning-blaze-destroys-home-no-one-hurt)

 

[MasterMech]

Don't put ashes in your trash can,

Hope that wasn't your house aussiedog3. Glad nobody was hurt.

 

[aussiedog3]

Nope, not my house. About 5 miles south of me. Yeah, glad nobody was hurt.

 

[Boom Stick]

Sad story. Gotta treat your ashes like a loaded gun. Always vigilant. I do the same thing each and every time I clean out. Never deviate from the routine....putting hot ashes in a can and then keeping them indoors is crazy..even if it is the garage, I wonder if there was a lid on it? I bet not. How else would they flame up? This story is going to make me reevaluate my routine. Can never be too cautious. Tight fitting lid is a must (for me at least)......sit at least two days before I even touch them again.

 

[Realstone]

Thanks for the reminder. Christmas is coming, think I'll put a dedicated ash can on the list. Any recommendations?

 

[Wood Duck]

I use a small galvanized can that was labeled as an ash can at Lowe's or Home Depot. It looks like a miniature garbage can with lid. It is maybe 20 gallons in capacity and holds enough ash for several cleanouts. I have a pair of bricks on the lawn an arms reach from the back porch steps where the can rests. You don't want a can so large that you can't easily lower the ash shovel to the bottom, nor too narrow so that the ash shovel has to be dumped rather than than gently tilted to deposit the ash. If you want to minimize the amount of ash that gets into the air you have to very carefully slide each shovel full of ash into the bottom of the can or onto the ash in the can.

 

[swagler85]

Mine go into a galvanized trash can, then they end up in the garden after the can gets full. They always sit in there for at least a few days prior to being dumped in garden.

 

[Slow1]

I recommend the two can system, especially if you are going to put the ashes in the trash or dump in a place where anything can burn. By using two smaller cans (say 5 gallon) you can put more than a weeks worth in each. You fill the first can, then leave it as you fill the second. Once the second can is full the first has been sitting for at least a week (generally much longer if 5 gallon - I was more like 2 weeks to fill even during peak of winter). Thus the can being dumped has really had time to cool off. You dump the first can and then fill it while the second ages, keep swapping them out.

I found cheap galvanized cans at Lowes I believe - Nice tight fitting lid and handle that sort of locks the lid down. I keep mine out the back door on the graveled 'under deck' space (we walk out under our deck).

 

[ScotO]

Gotta be careful with the galvanized cans and hot ashes guys. As for letting the ashes cool down the whole way, that is nearly impossible for me as I cannot let the stove go out all the way. I have my outdoor firepit (which is sunken into the ground a foot deep), when I clean out the ashes (yes, some are still quite hot), they go in that firepit, where the ground dampness puts them out after several hours or overnight. From there, they go into the garden.......

 

[BrotherBart]

Just don't sit them on the snow.

 

[ScotO]

Just don't sit them on the snow.

View attachment 82938

To make lye, BB, you are supposed to put the snow IN the ash can.....not vice versa!

 

[BrotherBart]

That pic is from a former member in Canada. He installed his new stove and one night he took out ashes. Later he couldn't find the can. It had sunk in the snow.

 

[CageMaster]

I have a small 10 gallon metal barrel with a lid that sits in the opposite corner of the yard from the house and stacks....alway throw a handful of snow on top after i dump the pail of ashes into it

 

[Realstone]

Gotta be careful with the galvanized cans and hot ashes guys.

Is that a heat issue or a toxic fume issue Scotty?

 

[ScotO]

Is that a heat issue or a toxic fume issue Scotty?

its toxic fumes, Realstone. When galvanized metal gasifies (when the zinc becomes too hot and burns off of the metal) it is very poisonous to breath. If you've ever had the daunting task of having to weld on or near galvanized metal, you've seen the fluffy white whisps of burnt zinc floating around. I always wear a respirator when I weld near or on galvanized metal, even though I try to clean off the zinc before welding. Just be careful. Don't put a lot of red-hot coals in your galvanzed bucket or can. If you deal with lots of hot coals, get a stainless steel or regular steel can.

 

[firefighterjake]

Just don't sit them on the snow.

View attachment 82938

There's the pic I was looking for . . . I actually do put my ashes in the can on the stove . . . oftentimes it does sink down a few inches . . . but never out of sight.

 

[Realstone]

its toxic fumes, Realstone. When galvanized metal gasifies (when the zinc becomes too hot and burns off of the metal) it is very poisonous to breath. If you've ever had the daunting task of having to weld on or near galvanized metal, you've seen the fluffy white whisps of burnt zinc floating around. I always wear a respirator when I weld near or on galvanized metal, even though I try to clean off the zinc before welding. Just be careful. Don't put a lot of red-hot coals in your galvanzed bucket or can. If you deal with lots of hot coals, get a stainless steel or regular steel can.

Great Scott! Thanks for the heads up on that one. I regularly burn scrap lumber with galv. nails, hangars and whatnot.

 

[Slow1]

Fortunately for me my ashes are generally cool enough to be handled without gloves by time I transfer them to the galvanized can which sits outside the whole time. I think I should be safe from the fumes - if any are somehow released at least they will be outside. I knew there was an issue (thus not good for stove pipe) but didn't know what it was.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

I sell mine to the local Crematory, saves them big bucks on thier gas bill!

 

[Realstone]

I sell mine to the local Crematory, saves them big bucks on thier gas bill!

Ha ha! Had to think about that one.

 

[basod]

its toxic fumes, Realstone. When galvanized metal gasifies (when the zinc becomes too hot and burns off of the metal) it is very poisonous to breath. If you've ever had the daunting task of having to weld on or near galvanized metal, you've seen the fluffy white whisps of burnt zinc floating around. I always wear a respirator when I weld near or on galvanized metal, even though I try to clean off the zinc before welding. Just be careful. Don't put a lot of red-hot coals in your galvanzed bucket or can. If you deal with lots of hot coals, get a stainless steel or regular steel can.

Galvanizing melts at ~900F and vaporizes at ~1650F. welding danger yes - a cup of milk in your future.
I agree if I was cooking in a trashcan I'd burn it out first, but dumping ashes in a can is unlikely to achieve either of these temps.

 

[robertmcw]

I take my ashes with a bucket outside and use a hose to fill the bucket with water. I dump the slurry the next day. No way this can burn.

Robert

 

[Slow1]

I take my ashes with a bucket outside and use a hose to fill the bucket with water. I dump the slurry the next day. No way this can burn.
t

I'm picturing my back yard with all these bucket shaped ice cubes melting in the spring...

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm picturing my back yard with all these bucket shaped ice cubes melting in the spring...

I'm still trying to imagine using a hose in middle of the winter . . . here it would be frozen up solid.

 

[robertmcw]

Well, you can use a couple of buckets and use with one from a bucket full of water from the house and thaw the slurry when it is not frozen.



The point is to keep the ashes OUT SIDE.