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Smarter than the average bear |
We are moving after 28 years, and we've been spoiled by our current fireplace, which has an exterior ash dump. It's got a flap door in the bottom and I dump the ash down that door. When it gets full, I go outside, and there's an exterior door that allows easy shoveling out to the yard or flower bed. If you haven't seen this setup, I highly recommend it! But we're moving and the new house has a typical fireplace. Do you just use a small pale and shovel your ash into it, trying not to get it airborne as you exit the house? Would a shop vac work well? I know the chimney sweep uses a large shop vac, but I don't know if there are special filters for ash. I'm just wondereing if there's some idea or product that I should consider, or if I'm totally overthinking it. | ||
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paradox in a box |
Vacuum would be easiest. They sell ash hepa filters. Otherwise just shovel into a 5 gallon bucket when sure it's cool. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ash...er&veh=sem&gclsrc=ds These go to eleven. | |||
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I'd rather have luck than skill any day |
You can eliminate that chore entirely with a gas fireplace. | |||
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Member |
I use a 5 gallon galvanized pail with a lid and a small fireplace scoop to clean out my wood stove. Living the Dream | |||
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Member |
Let it cool a couple of days, shovel the ashes into a paper grocery bag, roll it up and drop it in the trash can. Haven’t made a mess or set anything on fire for 25 years doing it that way. | |||
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The Unmanned Writer |
I use a pail and shovel. At the end of the season I will use the vacuum to completely clean out everything. I have found by not taking out all the ash allows the fire to get hotter and faster (like a layer of insulation). Note to self; self, if the ash comes out with red coals, DO NOT empty the pail into the trashcan outside - bad thigns will happen. (Let the METAL pail sit outside for a few five nights) Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. "If dogs don't go to Heaven, I want to go where they go" Will Rogers The definition of the words we used, carry a meaning of their own... | |||
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Member |
A coal scuttle and the shovel that came with the fireplace tool set. They're at least 30 years old, and will probably still be in use 30 years from now. === I would like to apologize to anyone I have *not* offended. Please be patient. I will get to you shortly. | |||
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blame canada |
I use a metal ash-shovel and pail. When able, I vacuum the bricks and stove. By able, I mean everything is good and dead/cold. Many fires have started by vacuuming a coal that re-ignites with the air associated with the vacuum. They make specific ash vacuums with metal canisters and other safety considerations, but just waiting for several days always worked for me. I use a shop vacuum. I probably only vacuumed once or twice a year, when I also clean the chimney. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The trouble with our Liberal friends...is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." Ronald Reagan, 1964 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Arguing with some people is like playing chess with a pigeon. It doesn't matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon will just take a shit on the board, strut around knocking over all the pieces and act like it won.. and in some cases it will insult you at the same time." DevlDogs55, 2014 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ www.rikrlandvs.com | |||
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Member |
Overthinking. Metal bucket w/lid and small flat fireplace shovel. And you don't want to remove it all if you are still actively using the fireplace. “So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.” | |||
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Member |
^^^^exactly what hrcjon said, I'm letting my stove burn out overnight and clean it about 80% tomorrow afternoon. Then it's ready to fire it back up. Metal bucket for safety for sure. | |||
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Member |
My current setup is a wood stove with a slide out ash box that I just carry outside and dump, usually when cool before starting a fire but when burning continuously like now while burning (with gloves). But I grew up in a home with two fireplaces as you describe burning coal for heat. Being the son, by the time I was 9 it was my job to bring in coal and take out the ashes. In order to minimize ash dust in the house we shoveled the ash into a metal bucket sitting right in front of the burning fireplace so the draft carried the dust up the chimney. No car is as much fun to drive, as any motorcycle is to ride. | |||
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Spread the Disease |
Ash vacuum from Amazon. It was worth the money. Ash Vacuum ________________________________________ -- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. -- | |||
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Member |
Shovel, bucket w/ tight fitting lid, all are metal. As I shovel, I leave the coals, whether glowing or cold so they can contribute to the next fire. Make sure the bucket contents are stone cold, then take it out and dump it in the field, never in the woods. Best to do this when snow is on the ground. ... stirred anti-clockwise. | |||
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teacher of history |
I use my shop vac with the "fine dust" filter. | |||
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Nosce te ipsum |
I'll remove the grate, push ash away from a corner, then lean newspaper, tall and twisted, into the corner. Light it to establish draft. Then shovel ash into a brass metal ash can (made in England, with embossed surface, trash picked; amazing what people put out in the rubbish). | |||
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Member |
The old "risk manager" in me can't see using a vacuum. You're adding oxygen back to potentially smouldering coals. Seems like a good way to have a house fire. I always used a metal bucket and immediately spread the ash in a safe area outside. | |||
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Member |
We've heated with a wood stove since the 70's. I've always just shoveled the ashes, hot or cold, into a metal bucket, with one of those small fireplace shovels, and took them outside. If the stove is burning I wear welders gloves & leave plenty of hot coals. Don't overthink it. ------------------------------------------------ "It's hard to imagine a more stupid or dangerous way of making decisions, than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong." Thomas Sowell | |||
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Legalize the Constitution |
We used to heat by wood stove alone. You can’t always wait to be sure the ash is cold to clean the stove out when the stove is your only source of heat. I shoveled into a coal scuttle and left it outside until I was sure it was cold. I miss splitting wood. I don’t miss anything else about heating with wood. _______________________________________________________ despite them | |||
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I'm Fine |
ash will clog up a filter on a shop vac - in a hurry. So, if you go that route, have plenty of extra bags. I just wait till the ashes are cold and shovel them into the kitchen garbage bag and then tie it shut and throw it outside. If you have to shovel hot ashes - yes, you'll need a metal pail. ------------------ SBrooks | |||
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Wait, what? |
Manually every few days. I use an ash/coal shovel and a large 2.5 gallon heavy duty galvanized bucket. When I start burning, it generally does not stop until spring. This year being the exception due to a warm fall and early winter, I didn’t touch off the first fire until early January. It never gets cool so even a fire resistant vacuum is not the best option for me. Something else to remember- you want to have an ash bed of about 1-1.5” in wood stoves and inserts to insulate the bottom of the unit. Modern efficiency stoves do their heating from above and draw cool combustion air from down low which really aids in both creating heat and limiting unburned carbon (which reduces creosote buildup and wasted BTU’s). “Remember to get vaccinated or a vaccinated person might get sick from a virus they got vaccinated against because you’re not vaccinated.” - author unknown | |||
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