As you go to clean your unit, your first instinct may be to reach for your household vacuum or shop/garage unit, but as it turns out, that decision could cost you. For many reasons, an ash vacuum is the only type of vacuum that should be used to clean your fire remnants. Here’s why you should use a fireplace vacuum to clean your unit safely and effectively. As a rule of thumb, your ash should be completely cool before vacuuming. This likely means you’ll have to schedule a wood stove or fireplace cleaning session when the stove has been out of use for at least 12 hours. Never attempt to vacuum up hot ashes under any circumstances, even if you are using an ash vacuum. The quickest way to kill your home’s vacuum is to use it to clean ash or sheetrock dust. Those minute particles will head straight to the motor and damage the inner workings of your vacuum. Regular vacuum filters—even HEPA-style bags—can not fully contain ultrafine dust, nor are they made to. If you want your household vacuum to last for years, use it only for what it was designed for: cleaning your home. After cleaning ash, you should always move the ash vacuum outdoors and, as soon as you can, dispose of the ash in a safe manner. A full ash vacuum should never be allowed to remain in a confined space, home, or building, even though it has a fire-resistant metal housing. Another note: Always ensure that you start cleaning your woodstove with an empty ash vacuum.
