does fine ash mean i have a better draft?

[Stevebass4]

so i cleaned the chimney two weeks ago and noticed when they installed the pipe the almost kinked it closed - anyway i fixed that and had a fire after i put everything back together

before when i let the fire die out i would always have to clean out charcoal and ash - this time when i cleaned my stove it was amazing - no charcoal and very fine ash

is this because of the cleaning (better draft) and because i removed the kink - or is it because of the wood i'm burning (last year's wood was excellent as well

 

[Highbeam]

I've noticed that the hotter the fire, the finer the ash. Also the ash is whiter and all the stove innards are whiter when burning a nice hot fire. A slow smoldering fire will leave a much darker firebox, sooty glass, and chunks of dead charcoal. You're current results incicate a cleaner, hotter, more efficient fire.

 

[Eric Johnson]

My guess is better wood. I've noticed that dry wood, burned correctly, leaves very fine ash. Having adequate draft is, of course, part of burning it correctly. So it may be a combination.

 

[jpl1nh]

so i cleaned the chimney two weeks ago and noticed when they installed the pipe the almost kinked it closed - anyway i fixed that and had a fire after i put everything back together

before when i let the fire die out i would always have to clean out charcoal and ash - this time when i cleaned my stove it was amazing - no charcoal and very fine ash

is this because of the cleaning (better draft) and because i removed the kink - or is it because of the wood i'm burning (last year's wood was excellent as well

yes :cheese:

 

[Harley]

so i cleaned the chimney two weeks ago and noticed when they installed the pipe the almost kinked it closed - anyway i fixed that and had a fire after i put everything back together

before when i let the fire die out i would always have to clean out charcoal and ash - this time when i cleaned my stove it was amazing - no charcoal and very fine ash

is this because of the cleaning (better draft) and because i removed the kink - or is it because of the wood i'm burning (last year's wood was excellent as well

The kink certainly wasn't helping matters. If last year's wood was a good as this year's, then you probably found the culprit. Given that we are early into the burning season (depending on where you are) the weather is not really great for a good stong draft, and it sounds like you improved it a lot by your fix. My guess is that last year, as the fire was dying down, there wasn't enough draft to keep the coals burning, and they eventually smothered and went out.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Last few years I've noticed that if I burn red maple/ash for a couple days I have more ash then say if I burn Hickory/Oak. In 2004 I had a load of free redmaple (and we all know once its dry its like balsa wood) that damm stuff ashes your firebox real quick.

Just my thoughts,
WoodButcher