What is the Best & Cheapest way to clean Ash & Dust

[Edward Hughes]

For over 20 years I have been cleaning my pellet stove with Bags and Filters, to keep the dust and ash from the house. And for this time I have watched the Prices go high and higher, as the demand goes higher.
I have read here, that most like so many different methods.
What is the BEST & CHEAPEST way to handle the dust and ash?
Thanks for your Help
Ed

 

[funflyer]

What I do is start the stove so the combustion fan will run creating a vacuum inside the stove keeping the ash from getting into the house. Then I use a paint brush to sweep most of the ash into the ash pan for dumping. Now I go outside and use the leaf vac to suck out the rest of what I couldn't reach with the brush. The only place I use the shop vac is on the door glass and seal. I do this once a week and only have to empty the vac and change the filter at the end of the season.

 

[Tim Linden]

I have been using a shop vac and a washable filter for years. You have to be absolutely sure there are no hot embers or you'll melt the filter.

It's a standard craftsman shop vac. I think I even got the washable filter in sears. Its HEPA level so no dust at all (I'm allergic to pellets so I'd know if the dust was in the air lol)

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Edward Hughes]

I have been using a shop vac and a washable filter for years. You have to be absolutely sure there are no hot embers or you'll melt the filter.

It's a standard craftsman shop vac. I think I even got the washable filter in sears. Its HEPA level so no dust at all (I'm allergic to pellets so I'd know if the dust was in the air lol)

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Tim do you have to tap the filter out each time you clean your stove, or can you use the filter
more than once, before you have to wash it out. This is without a bag, straight in the bottom of the vac. No clogs in the canister filter Great Job
Thanks

 

[FirepotPete]

Tim do you have to tap the filter out each time you clean your stove, or can you use the filter
more than once, before you have to wash it out. This is without a bag, straight in the bottom of the vac. No clogs in the canister filter Great Job
Thanks

I just reuse the drywall bag in my shopvac. If you are careful and don't let it get to full you can take it out and empty it into the trash and use the bag again. I usually get a couple of years from each bag. I do the same thing with my cornvac when moving corn.

 

[Tonyray]

35.00 Home depot cheapie..
clamp/sock free.. catches all the dust.
change sock periodically.
unit has paper filter inside..

 

[Watcher1]

For over 20 years I have been cleaning my pellet stove with Bags and Filters, to keep the dust and ash from the house. And for this time I have watched the Prices go high and higher, as the demand goes higher.
I have read here, that most like so many different methods.
What is the BEST & CHEAPEST way to handle the dust and ash?
Thanks for your Help
Ed

Get a power smith ash vac. filter sits on top and is washable. Been using mine 3 seasons now, works great and no more filters to buy and you don't need to worry so much about hot ash.

 

[Tails1]

I have to do something also as I have been using a small shop vac with paper filters and last night when cleaning the stove the bag broke inside the vacuum and filled the house with dust. .

 

[Tails1]

Get a power smith ash vac. filter sits on top and is washable. Been using mine 3 seasons now, works great and no more filters to buy and you don't need to worry so much about hot ash.

How often do you have to clean the filter or replace it? I see these on Amazon and am thinking of getting one as my current vac isn't working very well.

 

[alternativeheat]

With my Hearth Country ash vac I periodically take the filters out and bang them on the ground or a tree and shake the ash out of them. Put them back in again, fourth season on the same filters this winter. I imagine at some point I'll have to change them but not yet.You can tell when the filters need cleaning as it just doesn't pick up the same. And no dust in the house when in use. Most of the dust I get around the house is from dumping pellets in the hopper anyway.

The ShopSmith is probably more powerful than mine but either way they have metal canisters so no fear of fire. I've found the Hearth Country to be sufficient for my needs and it came free with my new Harman Stove purchase. I think they were selling for $130 or so at the time but have come down a bit now, maybe. It's kind of nice to have though, cause I don't have to drag my big shop vac up from the basement, the ash vac lives behind a corner living room chair and then the metal construction feature is a plus.

 

[tiger]

What I do is start the stove so the combustion fan will run creating a vacuum inside the stove keeping the ash from getting into the house.

That seems clever - I wonder if that will work with my Accentra. I'm careful and keep the stove vac's nozzle close to the brush while cleaning but my wife is certain I'm letting excess ash into the house during my weekly cleanings.

 

[alternativeheat]

That seems clever - I wonder if that will work with my Accentra. I'm careful and keep the stove vac's nozzle close to the brush while cleaning but my wife is certain I'm letting excess ash into the house during my weekly cleanings.

Yes it will work with an Accentra or any Harman. If you open the door before the stove fully shuts down the combustion blower will run as long as you have larger flame to die out or so and open the main door. I scrape the embers right off into the ash pan as soon as the main flame has died. And from there it also finishes cooling way faster too, you can touch parts with gloves in about 10-15 minutes. Others put the stove into test mode and open the door, apparently that keeps the combustion fan running as well, never had to try it though.

 

[Watcher1]

How often do you have to clean the filter or replace it? I see these on Amazon and am thinking of getting one as my current vac isn't working very well.

I have yet to wash the filter, I did use a garden hose on it this spring, when the can feels 1/2 full I go dump it and tap the filter off.

 

[tiger]

If you open the door before the stove fully shuts down the combustion blower will run as long as you have larger flame to die out or so and open the main door.

So far I've only cleaned when the stove is stone cold. "Test Mode' might be an interesting place for me to test the concept.

 

[Tim Linden]

Tim do you have to tap the filter out each time you clean your stove, or can you use the filter
more than once, before you have to wash it out. This is without a bag, straight in the bottom of the vac. No clogs in the canister filter Great Job
Thanks

Nope I'll go through a season without cleaning it. I clean it when I change over to normal filter for summer car cleaning (sand from the beach)

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[tbear853]

I shut down and let it get COLD ..... then I use a Craftsman Shop Vac and do my cleaning. If I have a long cold snap, might go 2-3 weeks no cleaning, just ash checks / dumps. Once a year I try to do flue with hose from shop vac (I have extras to add length) fed up flue outside from lower TEE. I use a smaller hose that will curve in tee and push inside towards stove at other side of wall.

I used to move stove away from vents, etc .... 400 lbs of VC Reliant. Used a crowbar and wood blocks and walked it out .... takes a while ..... like shop vac better. Also, no getting on roof. Haven't tried leaf blower yet ..... that might be this years experiment ..... insert up past TEE.

 

[Tonyray]

So far I've only cleaned when the stove is stone cold. "Test Mode' might be an interesting place for me to test the concept.

do it all the time..
specially when I want to do a quickie..2" paint brush and just brush all the ash down to the ash pan..
having the exhaust blower on keeps any dust from entering the room.

 

[alternativeheat]

My stove got the finger wave in the igniter compartment two nights ago, that will do for a cleaning till this next cold snap passes. Might have to dump the pan between now and then. It had a full cleaning the week before Christmas anyway. The pot gets scraped two or three times a day etc... Almost time for my mid winter run the brush up the vent experience. Although there is still really good vacuum, I went to get a paper towel to wipe the glass down and left the door cracked open, the stove had been off for a while and was cool, so figured I'd grab the opportunity. The stove decided to start right then and it actually sucked the door shut, so I can't have too much junk in the venting.

 

[Pelleting In NJ]

Buy a Shop Vac and a Gore Cleanstream HEPA filter ($36) which can be washed and reused many times.

 

[tlc1976]

I only clean when the stove has cooled, which doesn't take that long. I wired a switch into the exhaust blower wiring to independently force the fan on. Put it in a small project box and attached it to one of the existing screws on the stove. This not only helps it cool faster by circulating cold air from the OAK, but keeps a negative pressure so any dust I stir up goes up and out. I only want to clean the glass and burn pot when they are cool anyway. I use a Ridgid canister style shop vac which came with the fine dust filter. No dust in house. I used to use an old beat up canister with HEPA bags, and it worked well except the ash that would spill when changing bags would always blow into the house no matter how much I tried to jar it out.

The exhaust switch also comes in handy for cleaning the pipe. As I brush the horizontal section it blows out instead of just laying in the there.

 

[Jason845845]

I replaced my Power Smith ash vac, which I thought was broken but in fact, was not, with a more expensive Craftsman ash vac.

I far prefer the Power Smith to the Craftsman as it has more power, better attachments and the filter seems to stay put better.

 

[Edward Hughes]

Thanks for the help with the ash and dust, from our stoves. I will be changing to the white vac bags for the shop vac that I have. That will
save money plus I will be reusing some of the yellow bags, that I have saved until better weather, and the wind is right for a " BEAM REACH".
Good Luck Stay safe this winter
Ed

 

[tbear853]

My shop vac is a Craftsman .... I use the reusable type filter ..... but when the vac seems to slow down like it's drawing too hard, I take the filter out in the back yard and twirl it as I toss it and let it hit the ground a few times shaking all the pellet ash / soot out and soon it's ready to go again. Very flexible.

 

[Don2222]

I replaced my Power Smith ash vac, which I thought was broken but in fact, was not, with a more expensive Craftsman ash vac.

I far prefer the Power Smith to the Craftsman as it has more power, better attachments and the filter seems to stay put better.

The Power Smith is easy to fix even if it does break!
I just replaced the broken On-Off switch for $4.97 see pics!

On-Off switch on Power Smith ash vac broke?

Hello We have a Power Smith PAVC-102 ash vac. After replacing the bag filter and the motor filter the on-off switch broke and the factory does not have any switches at this time either! I just happened to find this heavier 120 VAC SPST rocker at Home Depot for $4.97 and with a little cutting it...

www.hearth.com

 

[Dataman]

I just close down the stove and use my Loveless Cougar with the hot ashes. But give it hour before I clean the stove. Most of the ash is in the right place. 1/2 outside the ash tray (Harmon XXV).

I picked up used Cougar for 60 bucks off ebay and bought new filters and damaged part for total cost of less than 100 bucks. One on Ebay now for less than 150 bucks.
(broken link removed to https://www.ebay.com/itm/Love-Less-Ash-MU405-Cougar-Ash-Vacuum-Black/153765621869?hash=item23cd25306d:g:Bm4AAOSwV6hd-Too)