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16
Ash Removal
Whenever ashes get 3 to 4 inches deep in your firebox, and when the fire has burned down
and cooled, remove excess ash. Leave an ash bed approximately 1 inch deep on the firebox
bottom to help maintain a hot charcoal bed. Let the stove cool completely before removing
ashes (wait at least two hours after the last coal has extinguished). Ashes should be placed
in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. The closed container of ashes should be placed on
a noncombustible floor or on the ground, away from all combustible materials, pending final
disposal. The ashes should be retained in the closed container until all cinders have
thoroughly cooled.
Improperly disposed ashes lead to fires. Hot ashes placed in cardboard boxes, dumped in back yards,
or stored in garages, are recipes for disaster.
Wood-burning stoves are inherently dirty. During cleaning have a vacuum ready to catch spilled ash
(make sure ash is entirely extinguished).
There are vacuum cleaners specifically made to remove ash (even if the ash is warm). Contact your
dealer for details.
Selecting Wood
Dry Wood is Key
Dry wood burns hot, emits
less smoke and creates
less creosote.
Testing Wood Moisture
Wood cut, split and stored in a dry area will typically dry within 1 or 2 years. This insures dry wood. If
purchasing wood for immediate use, test the wood with a moisture meter. Some experienced wood
burners can measure wood moisture by knocking pieces together and listening for a clear "knock"
and not a "thud".
Why Dry Wood is Key
Wet wood, when burned, must release water stored within the wood. This cools the fire, creates
creosote, and hampers a complete burn. Ask any experienced wood burner and he or she will agree:
dry wood is crucial to good performance.
© Travis Industries
Operation
Wet
Wood
Less
Heat
More Smoke
and Creostoe
4161018
Dry
Wood
Leads
To
More
Heat
Leads
To
Less Smoke
and Creostoe
ASHES
Leads
To
Leads
To
100-01437
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