Fireplace Question
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Fireplace Question
I have a wood burning fireplace. It has an iron/steel ash dump door in the bottom and a concrete/fireplace brick floor. The ash dump door is rusted out. The ash dump door is not a standard side and is no longer availabe.
Can I fill the area of the ash dump with quickcrete and eliminate the ash dump area and door?
I have never used the ash dump and have always removed the ashes with a small fireplace shovel and shop vac. So getting rid of it is not a problem. Any help or ideas appreciated.
Can I fill the area of the ash dump with quickcrete and eliminate the ash dump area and door?
I have never used the ash dump and have always removed the ashes with a small fireplace shovel and shop vac. So getting rid of it is not a problem. Any help or ideas appreciated.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Lake Almanor
You could fill it in, but you might want to put at least a layer of fire brick where the fire sits or the concrete will spall away quickly.
You could probably put a piece of 1/4" plate over the space or have a welding shop fab something up too, either with or without the concrete and bricks.
Fireplaces are different critters, if something is awry in the firebox then it may be prudent to have a look at the entire fireplace especially up the chiminey.
Damaged fireboxes and chimineys are major causes for house fires.
The fireman in me says be carefull, I would recommend an inspection and thorough cleaning to make sure that it is safe for use.
Also a couple of inches of ash in the floor of the firebox helps insulate the box and hold heat longer. I've lived in a house with a large fireplace, 36x 24" firebox, that burned like a damped down wood stove after the hearth was warm, greatly decreased the wood use. We always left a couple of inches in the box through the winter and cleaned it all the way in the spring. That is all fine if the ash won't migrate out onto your floor of course.
I don't know what area you are in or the codes that oversee such things, but I think some research is in order.
Good Luck
Rich
You could probably put a piece of 1/4" plate over the space or have a welding shop fab something up too, either with or without the concrete and bricks.
Fireplaces are different critters, if something is awry in the firebox then it may be prudent to have a look at the entire fireplace especially up the chiminey.
Damaged fireboxes and chimineys are major causes for house fires.
The fireman in me says be carefull, I would recommend an inspection and thorough cleaning to make sure that it is safe for use.
Also a couple of inches of ash in the floor of the firebox helps insulate the box and hold heat longer. I've lived in a house with a large fireplace, 36x 24" firebox, that burned like a damped down wood stove after the hearth was warm, greatly decreased the wood use. We always left a couple of inches in the box through the winter and cleaned it all the way in the spring. That is all fine if the ash won't migrate out onto your floor of course.
I don't know what area you are in or the codes that oversee such things, but I think some research is in order.
Good Luck
Rich
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Concord NC
you can buy fire brick in numbers needed and a rustad out ash dump is an easy fix. if the fire box was constructed correctly any heavy steel or masonry patch will be fine. as a brick mason we get all of our fireplace hardware from Vestle manufacturing, I don't know there phone# or web address but they may be able to replace your ash dump door those things do come in several sizes.
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I did a search for replacment ash dump doors and most of them are in the 4'' x 8" to 4.5" x 9" range. The outside diameter of my rusted one is 8" x 10". Will probably have to go the masonry route unless someone knows where I could get a replacment that would fit.
Vestal's site only shows one size in the 4.5 x 9.
Vestal's site only shows one size in the 4.5 x 9.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
I would just have a local machine shop weld something up for $50 or maybe a local FTE member would do it for you. It is not that tough of a thing and 1/8" mild steel would be fine.
I would keep the trap so when you are cleaning the upper inside part of your chimney, you can block the chimney opening from the inside of the house and then suck everything out with a vacuum on the outside of the house. That way you keep the cresote out of the house.
Plus, you can run a brush and line, top to bottom, and pull it up and down with a helper to clean the chimney.
I would keep the trap so when you are cleaning the upper inside part of your chimney, you can block the chimney opening from the inside of the house and then suck everything out with a vacuum on the outside of the house. That way you keep the cresote out of the house.
Plus, you can run a brush and line, top to bottom, and pull it up and down with a helper to clean the chimney.
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