by Mark Hudson | Feb 6, 2018 | Ash Disposal
Every day that you burn wood in your fireplace, you are creating ash. Over the course of an entire winter, you may have to remove ashes from your fireplace countless times. It’s a headache, but it’s necessary. Leaving them in the firebox can crowd your fire, make it difficult to light and maintain, and even cause wood and hot ashes to fall out of the fire! Don’t risk it, remove the ashes regularly, and remove them safely.
Use Appropriate Tools
You can find fireplace accessories at a home improvement store. Make sure they work for you, because not everyone is the same. Be sure the shovel is long enough that your face and hands are away from the hot fire. Homeowners who have asthma or chronic respiratory illnesses may choose to wear a face mask while cleaning ashes from the fireplace. Make sure that your clothes are not loose and that hair does not drop close to the fire. It is best to remove ashes when the fire is out or very low. Removing red hot coals is dangerous, even if you have an appropriate metal bucket to store ashes in. Scoop the ashes into your metal bucket, and carry them outside to cool at least 5 feet from your house. If you save ashes for various uses, you may have a metal trashcan with a lid to dump them into. Keep this container away from flammables.
Reasons to Save Your Ashes
Your ashes are going to continue to build up throughout burning season, with you removing them regularly. Leave ¼ inch each time in order to insulate the bottom of the firebox. The rest can be useful for many purposes.
Cleaners: Add water to a small amount of ashes and polish silver, doorknobs, and chrome. Larger amounts mixed with water can clean stoves, ovens, and pots and pans.
Deodorizer: Dust a handful of cool, dry ashes into your pet’s fur to neutralize odors and deter mites and ticks.
For the Garage: Toss ashes onto slick sidewalks and driveways to prevent slips and falls. Pour onto oil spills on the driveway and in the garage.
For the Garden: Sprinkle ashes over soil to change the alkaline levels for certain plants to thrive. Putting along the edge and in between rows also deter bugs and slugs.
Get Creative: You can use your ashes to make lye, which you can use to make homemade soap products.
If you think your fire is producing too much ash, there may be a reason. Avoid extra ashes by building the best fire possible.
Have you been avoiding your ashes, only emptying it when it’s absolutely necessary? Like so many other things, a routine will help you stay on top of the problem. Have your chimney system swept regularly to in addition to emptying the ash so that the flue will be clear of soot, creosote, and debris as well. Even if you use an ash dump for your ashes, it should be cleaned out regularly by a professional. You really can’t go wrong with professional services. Call the chimney and fireplace experts to learn more about your fireplace and chimney system, and for valuable services that keep it working for you.
Call Hudson Chimney at 904-282-4159 today.
by Mark Hudson | Dec 24, 2014 | Ash Disposal
Every time you have a wood or pellet-fueled fire, it is a fact of life that ashes will be left behind for you to remove. Do you know how to properly dispose of these ashes? If not, you could end up with a fire caused by the hot coals hidden within the ashes. At Hudson Chimney, we place a high priority on chimney and fireplace safety, so we thought we would share with you some answers to questions on how to correctly remove ashes to protect you from the possibility of a fire.
How Does Improper Ash Removal Lead to a Fire?
Many times, homeowners think that simply storing ashes in a metal bucket with no lid is the proper way to remove ashes. However, this is not the case. When this unlidded bucket is sitting outside on your porch, winds can easily blow the bucket over, and this can cause all of the ashes to fall out onto your porch or yard. When this occurs, the ashes get stirred up, and the hot coals become active once again. If your porch has a wooden floor, you could have a dangerous porch fire on your hands caused by the incorrect way of removing and storing ashes. You may also end up with an uncontrollable brushfire in your yard.
What Is the Best Container for Storing Ashes?
The importance of using a proper ash container cannot be stressed enough. Hudson Chimney strongly recommends using a pail or bucket made of sheet metal with a securely fitted lid. The most essential key for safety is the lid. To be even safer, the bottom of the pail should be slightly offset so that the actual bottom does not make contact with flooring and char the surface.
Where Is the Best Place to Store My Ash Bucket?
Never place your bucket on a wooden floor as this can be a fire hazard, even if the bucket has an elevated bottom. You should always store your ash bucket outside on a non-combustible surface such as stone, brick, concrete, or slate.
Is it Necessary to Remove Ashes After Every Fire?
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), you do not have to remove ashes every time you have had a fire. In fact, the CSIA recommends leaving a one-inch layer of ash on the floor of your firebox to make it much easier to build and maintain a fire. The hot coals within the ashes will add more heat to the fuel and reflect this heat back into the fire. Additionally, a thin layer of ash also protects the floor of your firebox. However, you need to monitor this level of ash and should never allow this layer of ashes to get too deep. If these ashes make contact with the bottom of your grate, it can cause the grate to prematurely burn out.
I Have a Wood-Burning Stove or a Pellet Stove. Is the Proper Ash Removal Procedure Any Different?
The storage procedures are still the same for these stoves. If your stove is long and narrow and burns from the front to the back, according to the CSIA, it will benefit from removing the ashes that are just inside the door. Then, you can move the hot coals to the back of the stove to help igniting a fire quickly. The incoming air from combustion will reignite those hot coals and rapidly heat up the entire firebox. When all of the ashes are removed, it can be difficult to start a fire because all of the bricks in the firebox must be heated to saturation before your fire can really get going.
If you have any questions about proper ash removal, contact Hudson Chimney to ask our staff. We are happy to help you with all fire safety issues.
