Pushing your ashes Back

How many of you push your ashes back then rake your coals forward.

I know alot of people rake coals forward as getting all those coals up towards the front where
the primary air is usually coming in at the top of the stove door flowing over the glass for your air wash then flows down into the coals you just raked towards the front.

I want to point out that pushing the ash and coals back is also an important part not to forget and to have a ash/coal rake to properly do the job is also important.

A bit a Quiz is does anyone know the importance of pushing the ashes back against the back wall or side wall (if your a side loader)?

 

I push and pull every reload. It tends to condense the whole shebang.

 

x2

 

I just rake mine & they fall thru the ash grate, then I just level out the coals & load more wood. Works here everyday !

 

Yup i do this, it helps to let the big coals come to the top and the little ones stay in the heap, also puts up a buffer against the fire brick to not break them when the wood gets tossed in. thats my .02

 

X2

 

Because I constantly rake my coals forward when I reload I tend to get a higher build up of ash at the front of the stove. I find that when I open the door the coals are at the back and ash is in the front. Ill give a push of the ash with the rake and then pull the coals to the front. Works great. Its nice to have a consistent grade of ash through the stove so that my splits are laying as flat as possible.

 

This is what I do. Gotta leave some ash to keep the floor of the stove insulated. A big pile in front of my door ends up spilled out and causes the splits to go in uneven making it hard to get the stove loaded to its full potential. Also need to keep the dog house tunnel open.

 

With the little el dorado, when I reload, I pull the coals forward and place (not throw) the wood in the rear with the addition of one split on the coals. Usually empty ashes no longer than every two days.
Not quite sure of where the doghouse is on this stove, but I think the air enters along the front of the stove. Directions/manual were not as clear as Englanders and as I remember it, there is no customer service help line.

 

I dont think you have a doghouse on that stove, my bk doesnt have one either.

 

Maybe not a doghouse so to speak, but the air has to come in somewhere.

 

Airwash from above i'd bet. I understand the doghouse as a box at the floor of the stove to guard air that is coming in from the bottom, often as primary air.

 

Not seeing anything resembling a dog house here... Eldorado EPA High Efficiency Wood Stove | Drolet

 

Nor did I.
But that combustion air enters somewhere....

 

I'm thing from above also.