Fine layer of ash ALL OVER the house

It seems to happen every year and I'd like to minimize it. There always seems to be a fine layer of light white ash covering most everything in the house a few days after we clean. I'd like to understand what in the world is causing it. Is it a backdraft condition once the stove burns out? We don't burn 24/7.
It seems to be fine until we are burning down a bed of coals, or the fire is almost out. Sometimes you can see the "dust" in the air.
I'm pretty sure breathing it isn't the best for you. All theories accepted!! Thanks everyone.

 

Same here. Goes with the territory.

along with spiders, mosquitoes and bark/wood chips

 

Is it magic dust?

 

Thanks, Tim! I promised my wife that I would ask the fine members of the FHC without trying to draw the answer that I was looking for out of them.
I think she was hoping that it was something that I was doing wrong!
I'll show her this in a moment!

The bugs, wood chips and all are fine, but the ash is making her crazy!

 

I'm positive it's not! LOL

 

I installed an electronic air cleaner on my furnace and I use it for circulating the air. It runs 24/7 anyway because of allergies. The fine dust it collects is amazing, pollen dog dander ect. Keeps the wife from complaining (about the dust) anyway.

 

Do you have any exhaust fans in the house you use that would create a negative pressure in the house when the fire dies down? Bathroom, kitchen stove, clothes dryer or otherwise? Could be the path of least resistance to get Air back into the house is through the stove.

 

Yes, yes, and yes but it seems like we notice it most when we wake in the morning and the fire is out. Or all but out.
I originally thought that it might have been related to humidity as well, but that wasn't the case.

I like the idea. I have terrible allergies to pollen of all kinds. I've thought of doing something like that but always was skeptical. If you wouldn't mind, Screwloose , would you PM me the make and/or model that you have?

 

That's the point. When the fire is burning, the stove will not allow a reverse flow of air back into your house. When it goes out, a negative pressure in the house will allow a reverse flow back down the chimney and out of your stove with the air picking up the dust along the way. Also if you have a walk up attic that isn't air tight, an air flow from a point higher than your stove will cause a reverse flow back down the chimney. Go in the bathroom at 3 am and turn on the exhaust fan, it will pull air into your house from somewhere. Through an open stove is as easy as anywhere else.

 

Gotcha, I misunderstood. I was saying that the fans weren't aren't running, but that doesn't matter. It absolutely can be the issue, and most likely is.
Thanks for splainin' it to me , stuckinthemuck !

 

You’re welcome. Here’s some more reading. Could also be wind or topography or vegetation around the house...

Solving Drafting Problems For Fireplaces

You might be able to try one of those chimney caps that turns with the wind and see if it helps the problem at all... something like this.. good luck..

 

Hire someone to clean with all the money you are saving from burning.

 

I know that I bought a Goodman brand, I don't think the model # will help as it's over 10 year's old. I'm sure someone on here can recommend the current best one to consider. If possible try to shut the air vents as much as possible as the stove is going out before bed. Once your heat induced draft is reduced/eliminated the flue is the pressure equalizer of the house. As pressure changes it breaths through the stove picking up the smallest micron particals and they become aerosolized and stay in suspension for long periods of time.

 

Screwloose I'll google it and start from there. Thanks for your input!

stuckinthemuck there looks to be some good afternoon reading in te attachment. Thanks!

That got a really big smile outta my wife... for a minute. Then she said she doesn't want anybody rooting around in our house. I just laughed and said " well, Cleaning Lady, you missed a spot over there on the dining room table." Her response is NOT suitable to post. LOL
For the record my wife and I give each other a pretty hard time when the opportunity arises. She can cut to the bone pretty quick!

 

Looks like a French maid outfit and heels Xmas gift for her.

 

Should be interesting to see which one of them ends up wearing it.......................

 

You know rotti, that hadn't even occurred to me. Now all I can think about is this............

 

Two words: Draft inducer. You need more airflow through the stove when the door is open because smoke and fly- ash is spilling out the top of the door hole into the house. Install an in- line draft inducer and turn it on before you open any door on the woodstove (loading door, ash pan door, side loading door, ANY door) and the problem will vanish.

Modern wood stoves typically have a rather large loading door. The door on my I.S. is 204 in. square. The stovepipe is 6" in diameter, yielding an area just under 30 in. square. So making a 200+ square inch hole in the stove and giving it a >30 square inch port to exit through and it is really pretty obvious that all that air, smoke and ash is going up the pipe, some will spill out the top of the door hole and into the room. But if some force is added to increase the flow in that small diameter pipe, we can make it 'act' like a much, much bigger pipe and suck up all the debris from the woodstove.

Trust me, I would never lie to you. Well, I may but not over something as trivial as this. A Tjerland (sp?) woodstove draft inducer is something like $140 or so and WILL eliminate all smoke and ash spillage. You will be amazed; it is like sex with women, there is no going back....



Brian

 

LOL Nobody wants to see that. Nice shot Rotti! I didn't see that coming at all.

 

I have a box fan running all the time. I duct tape a furnace filter to the suction side of fan. I think it helps some.