Stove cleanliness / health

 
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tcalo
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Post by tcalo » Thu. Apr. 12, 2018 8:15 pm

Let me start off by saying I am a neat freak...just ask my better half! I've been burning for about 7 years now. Coal has been handling about 85% of our heat load. I've used a Coal Chubby in the past and currently burn in an Our Glenwood 109. I have brought this issue up in the past as well. I've noticed a very fine gray coating on almost everything, it even gets in our kitchen cabinets. Not on the stuff we use daily, but stuff that's been sitting around. After a few days I get a film on my windows and doors, especially near the stove room. I did install a vent system directly above my stove. It's flex duct with an inline fan that sucks the heat from the stove room and distributes it to the rest of the house. Works great, put pushes the dust around too. I used to keep a filter in the vent, but they were getting clogged way to fast so I ditched the filter. I have a good amount of gray dust built up in the flex duct too. I've contemplated ditching the stove and using the oil heat, but that radiant heat is so nice. I know what many will say, it's all how you tend it and handle the ash. Trust me, I treat the ash like it's nitroglycerin and tend the stove like handling a new born. I'm gentle as hell! I'm thinking it's stove design. Lots of gaps throughout this old puppy. Not by age, but rather design. I've tried everything to keep this problem at bay. My thought is breathing all this crap in will eventually take a toll on our health. I've even thought about burning wood. I know, forsaken here! A buddy of mine burns wood and says he gets dust too, so that's out. I was curious what others with more stove knowledge than myself can add. Especially those with suspended pot stove knowledge! Basically, to keep burning coal I need a cleaner stove.


 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Thu. Apr. 12, 2018 9:26 pm

If possible have another coal burner, or two, come to your house and watch how you do things. They may notice things that you could do. It might be better than guessing with written words.

 
franco b
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Post by franco b » Thu. Apr. 12, 2018 9:42 pm

Dust rises through the bed when shaking down and also as it hits the ash pan, which is the worst area. Keep that door closed.

Run a shop vac with fine dust filter just above the stove, while tending.

The filter on the duct is a good idea, but you need more filter area. A box for a larger filter or try a good size hepa style vacuum cleaner bag tied over the duct opening to try.

 
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franpipeman
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Post by franpipeman » Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 7:49 am

seal joint on stove pipe if applicable so they are airtight high winds creates short burst of down drafts at times or reduces your draft or comes out air inlet a little during those bursts much like a puff back

do you have a barometric draft I alway covered mine with foil except in times of high winds and overfiring .
Ino longer use a room hand fed stove that is Harman , and dust till accumulates as i live in the wooded area and pollen ,cosmic dust,(Yes) and other stuff still occur , though its reduced since no longer firing.

 
Pacowy
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Post by Pacowy » Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 8:09 am

Is it possible that your inline fan is messing with your stove draft? That stuff shouldn't be going into your living area in any significant quantities.

Mike

 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 10:13 am

Happy with a auger fed from bin(s) boiler in the basement coupled to a water to air HX in FHA furnace (HP) located in a separate room away from boiler. FHA has whole house ECM blower for distribution w/ a MERV 11 furnace filter 26"X30".. doing it's job.
Admittedly forutunate to be able to load multiple 1 ton+ bins outdoors at time of delivery and roll bins in w/ pallet jack as required. Not going to work for the masses, I'm sure, but works well here.

If I were to eliminate the pallet jack *part* of moving the bins inside to boiler I would replace it with a piped vacuum transfer/delivery setup to ease the strain.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 10:37 am

Damn T, I got my HITZER hand fired & don't get anywhere near what you're talkin about-- both the Chubby & 109 are free standing hand fired--to think putting a vent blower system to distribute heat throughout the house is just TWILIGHT-ZONE stuff. You're just blowin dust all over the house. Each stove has it's performance purposes & limitations & I'm thinkin you went WAY out of the ball park with your set-up.


 
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hotblast1357
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Post by hotblast1357 » Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 12:37 pm

Stoker boiler in its own building.

I have no noise, dust, or smell.

It’s pretty nice.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 1:33 pm

And THERE T, is your solution. :)

 
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michaelanthony
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Post by michaelanthony » Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 3:16 pm

Pacowy wrote:
Fri. Apr. 13, 2018 8:09 am
Is it possible that your inline fan is messing with your stove draft? That stuff shouldn't be going into your living area in any significant quantities.

Mike
I agree with the above. I get some dust but it is confined to the stove area so clean up is minimal. Your inline fan above the stove could be lifting the fine dust that would normally fall close by. When the dust is lifted or at best suspended it is then carried away by the natural currents around the stove. My only advice is better filters at both ends of the inline fan.

 
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Keepaeyeonit
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Post by Keepaeyeonit » Sat. Apr. 14, 2018 10:56 am

I was having the same problem as you this year and it was driving me crazy trying to figure out what was causing it, I had a gray film on everything 3' and lower within a week of cleaning it off ( base boards, legs on end tables, and table tops. The only thing I am doing differently this year is I have a cool mist humidifier upstairs on a table right above the stairwell ( I have a opened stairwell to downstairs ) so about 3 weeks ago I stopped using it and my film problem has stopped. Not sure what that would have to do with it but my problem is gone, I do get a small amount dust around the stove but it's not a problem and not nearly as bad as when I was burning wood, any solid fuel is going to give some kind of dust just some more then others.

 
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tcalo
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Post by tcalo » Mon. Apr. 16, 2018 8:50 pm

I have several cool mist humidifiers around the house. I wonder if thats my problem. Good catch!
Last edited by tcalo on Mon. Apr. 16, 2018 9:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Mon. Apr. 16, 2018 9:22 pm

I don't buy it, but keep us posted.

 
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tcalo
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Post by tcalo » Mon. Apr. 16, 2018 9:32 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Mon. Apr. 16, 2018 9:22 pm
I don't buy it, but keep us posted.
haha...I will

 
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Keepaeyeonit
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Post by Keepaeyeonit » Tue. Apr. 17, 2018 5:08 am

I don't buy it elther but I'm just telling what I see, I'm not running the humidifier and I'm not seeing the film anymore!! Never had this problem before until after using that style humidifier.


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