11

Do’s and Don’ts

for Cleaning a Wood Stove

A wood-burning stove that’s used to heat the whole home will need ashes removed every few days, while less-frequent users can wait until the ashes pile higher.

1. DO clean a wood  stove regularly.

For obvious reasons, fussing with a box full of fire in full blaze is not going to end well.

2. DON’T clean your stove unless it’s unlit.

Get into the habit of glancing at your wood stove’s most vulnerable spots each time you add wood.

3. DO inspect the stove often.

Hiring a professional chimney sweep to do a thorough job, and keeping on top of maintenance schedules, are the two best steps to make sure your flue is clean and your family is safe.

4. DON’T forget about the  flue and chimney.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that homeowners schedule professional chimney cleaning on a yearly basis.

5. DON’T tackle chimney cleaning yourself.

When you can’t add enough wood for a good, long, hot burn, or when embers start to tumble out if you open the door, grab your ash bucket or vacuum.

6. DO do away with ashes.

Lazy cleaners rejoice: unlike many other surfaces in your home, the bottom of a wood stove’s firebox shouldn’t be scrubbed until it shines.

7. DON’T get rid of all  the ashes.

Once you’re certain the ashes are ember-free and there’s no more combustion taking place, you can dispose of them with your regular trash, put them in your compost, or spread them in your garden beds.

8. DO dispose of  ashes properly.

Steel, galvanized steel, and cast iron are top choices for ash-removal accessories and other fireplace tools that you’ll need for poking logs and dealing with stray embers.

9. DO use purpose-built  metal tools.

Your home, your family’s health, and even your lives are riding on your fireplace and/or wood stove safety practices.

10. DON’T use plastic or any other non-metal tools.

Take a look at our review of the year’s best ash vacuums, including one that ticked all the boxes:

11. DO consider an ash vacuum.

The PowerSmith Ash Vacuum

*BobVila.com and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

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