Almost lost a shop vac to a crazy hot chimney fire last Tuesday

I was sweeping a 20-year-old wood-burning fireplace in a house near Beaverton and halfway through the job, the homeowner says 'you smell something?' Next thing I know, smoke is pouring out of the cleanout door. Turns out a massive creosote chunk had fallen into the bottom and was smoldering enough to light up debris I hadn't cleared yet. I dumped my bucket of ash into my shop vac and it started smoking from the inside, had to run outside and dump it on the grass. Has anyone else had a near miss like this with a hot ash bucket?

3 comments

3 Comments

xena_jackson17d ago

You put hot ash in a plastic shop vac? There's no way that ended well for you.

gonzalez.rowan17d ago

Did you have a metal bucket or a plastic shop vac? I've seen guys use metal ash buckets with tight lids for this exact reason, but most people just grab whatever is nearby. It sounds like you got lucky the grass wasn't dry enough to catch. What kind of prep do you do before you start sweeping to avoid surprises like that?

mary_wells17d ago

You mentioned metal buckets with tight lids, and I actually read a post on a homesteading forum where a guy tested different ash containers. He said the metal ones are safer because plastic can melt or warp even with a lid, especially if there's a hidden ember. That stuck with me because I used to keep ash in a plastic bucket in my garage until I read that. Now I always let them sit in a metal bucket for at least 3 days before even thinking about moving them. Before I sweep, I use a small metal scoop to stir the pile and check for any red spots deep inside. The guy in that post also said to dump them into a separate metal can with water for the first 24 hours, which sounds overboard but probably saves a lot of hassle. Your mileage may vary on the water part though, because some people worry about the bucket rusting out.