Question re Vermont Casting Encore - emptying ash pan

[Scamp]

How do you get the ash out of the shelf underneath the stove? When I pulled the drawer out last time, it overflowed into that shelf. I could vacuum it out, but I'm told not to vacuum ashes. Anyone have a good remedy (I know, empty the ash pan more often, but other than that?)

 

[Diabel]

Hot or cold stove?

On reload, open the ash pan slowly so you do not disturb most of the ash/coals above the grate, empty the pan, scoop the ash that has fallen into the pan, empty the pan...done!

 

[Heat Miser]

Empty the ash pan more often.

Mine would do that if I really overloaded it. It's a mess. You have to pull the pan out, vacuum out the ashes with a specially designed ash vacuum if you have one (NOT a regular vacuum). Otherwise, you can just use an ash shovel and get out most of them.

If the stove is running then you're going to have to make sure you don't overfire it by leaving the door open. Best to let the stove cool down and then do it.

 

[ansehnlich1]

I get this with the Oslo. Not sure about your Encore, but with the Oslo, I open the side door before opening the ash door, this keeps the draft from sucking in the ash door as much.

I remove the ash pan and close the ash door, then close the side door.

I empty the ash pan.

Then I open the side door again, then the ash door.

I take a long handled shovel and go into the ash shelf and shovel out any pile of ash that's in there, and dump it into the ash drawer that is sitting right there on the hearth, working quickly.

I then slide the ash drawer in, close the ash door, then close the side door.

Don't know if you can get a long handled fireplace shovel into your Encore, if not, you might have to bend the handle so it's nice and flat so you can slide it in there and back out easy. Buy one at a yard sale or something and try it.

 

[Scamp]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I tried out the first one from Diabel, and it worked great. I emptied the pan, then placed it under the stove, and scraped the shelf off into the pan with a flat stick. Not perfect, but much better. I will be careful to empty the pan more often.

We don't have a suitable vacuum, though I would love to vacuum it out. I know what I could do - take an old toothbrush and reach in there.... ;-P And I need to remember to close the door if the stove is hot.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Prada]

Do what we did....Cover the Ash Pan opening inside your Firebox and forget that it exists. lol
I think most ash pans are just nothing but a mess.
All we do is shovel out what we want to from the Firebox into a heavy bucket with a lid on it......no mess, no fuss.