How to Properly Dispose of Fireplace and Wood Stove Ashes
Anyone that burns firewood in their fireplace or wood burning stove should know how to properly dispose of the leftover ashes. These ashes present a huge fire hazard risk when disposed of incorrectly. Learn how to avoid a future house fire by following these steps set forth by a concerned firefighter.
The biggest mistake firefighters witness when it comes to fire ashes is finding them thrown out in the home trash cans. Never put your fireplace or wood stove ashes in a flammable container! This includes home and roadside trash cans. No matter how long the fire has been out, there could still be flammable ember present in the ashes.
A good rule of thumb for anyone with a fireplace or wood burning stove is to purchase a metal pail and garbage can. You can easily move the ashes to the pail when cleaning out your wood stove or fireplace and then move them to the metal garbage can. Although it should go without saying, do not put anything else in this trash can other than the ashes. Whenever you add new ashes to the can, it is a good idea to spray it down with water, and to leave the lid off when it is snowing or raining outside.
Do not keep the metal trash can near your home – at least 10 feet away. Also remember to keep the trash can away from anything else that could be considered or flammable (if in doubt do not put it near that spot). Once a lot of time has passed, it is now safe to bag up the ashes and leave them at your curb for pickup, or you could recycle them for use in your garden or for compost.
Resources: Reddit
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