Just cleaned the ash out of the BKK. Last cleaning was mid- Dec. How often does everyone else have to clean?
I cleaned mine in late Dec got about a cup of powder, oh you ask how often. About 2 years ago. The only reason I done it, wife said at least check it . So to keep things happy I cleaned it.
I take ashes out about every 5 days or so, but never really counted. Just cleaned the flue today, so most of the ashes came out first. I'll write it down.
Not flue, stove ash. If you got a cup of stove ash from that duration, I gotta know what you're burning. I want some. edit- beat me to it.
I burn mostly soft maple and it is at least c/s/s for no less than 2 years the hard woods are now on a 4 year rotation. Hope by the summers end will have another rack of hard wood then will be on a 5 year rotation.
I burn mostly soft maple c/s/s for at least 2 years. I have hard woods on a 4 year rotation and by the end of summer hope to be on 5 year rotation with hardwood.
During our nearly 24/7 burning, the ashpan is full every 2 days (approx 10"x6"x3"deep) so it gets emptied.
Every four or five days this time of year. Have turn about 4 cords of hardwood into 35 gal (trash can gallons) of ash so far this season.
I can go two weeks with my wood stove. Anything beyond that is really pushing it. As for the chimney, I've not looked up there yet this year. With a possible blizzard due in, I am considering taking a look tomorrow.
Good question BK. The IS owners answers may vary a bit. Personally, every 2 weeks for ash and maybe every 30 days for the ash pan. The grate the IS has kinda sucks and it takes awhile for ash to fall in on its own, so I rake and collect it from the firebox.
Once a month is about right to keep it from spilling out of the door. I may do it once a week if I need the extra capacity, but it's only a few shovels full.
"shovels full". 8" of depth in the bottom of the stove, really the most underrated benefit of the BKK.
About 3/4 full of a coal hod bucket once a week in the summit. and dump the ash tray on the efel about once a week (8" x 8" x 3" deep) through the cold part of winter. Them BKK's do have a large ash belly, nice to be able to keep burning for weeks during colder months.
Since starting to burn, I've only emptied ashes once. I started burning in October...for almost three weeks and its been steady since then. But then, I have an OWB!