Who uses masks

[kliped]

Hey guys, I have been using my Heatmor 200css for 3 years now. While it works great, I tend to have a problem with a good amount of smoke coming out of the door while loading. Also when I move the coals and ash around inside the fire box it kicks up a lot of dust and ash that comes out the door. Lastly when I clean the horizontal flue, there is a tendency for the fly ash/ soot to come back towards me.
Lately I have been thinking that this might not be the best for my health lol
So my question to you guys, since I dont think my experience is only limited to that of myself, is do any of you guys use respirators or dust masks? If so, what do you guys use or recommend. thanks

 

[sdt7618]

Hey guys, I have been using my Heatmor 200css for 3 years now. While it works great, I tend to have a problem with a good amount of smoke coming out of the door while loading. Also when I move the coals and ash around inside the fire box it kicks up a lot of dust and ash that comes out the door. Lastly when I clean the horizontal flue, there is a tendency for the fly ash/ soot to come back towards me.
Lately I have been thinking that this might not be the best for my health lol
So my question to you guys, since I dont think my experience is only limited to that of myself, is do any of you guys use respirators or dust masks? If so, what do you guys use or recommend. thanks

I don,t use a mask, but as my gasification boiler is in the basement and we don't want smoke or smells I fitted an extractor fan and the flexi duct above the boiler. Works like a charm. Between that and the wife using the boiler room as a clothes drying room the fan keeps the smells and the damp from the clothes down.

 

[lindnova]

I try to hold my breath while in front of the stove. Not perfect, but I try to get as little smoke and dust in my lungs that I can.

As far as cleaning the flue it is on the west side and the wind almost always is blowing away from me doing that so no problem.

I should have installed the furnace turned 180° to take advantage of the wind when loading - seems pretty obvious now.

 

[sunfish]

I would not own a wood stove that let smoke in the house. Ours is in the living room.

 

[kliped]

I would not own a wood stove that let smoke in the house. Ours is in the living room.

just to clarify, the heatmor 200css is an owb

 

[flotek]

When cleaning my wood furnace or transferring ashes in the steel can I often use a mask or atleast hold my breathe it's not good to take in ash dust ..as far as smoke goes I don't breathe that either of coarse I crack the door for a few seconds before slinging it open . Good dry wood a good draft and a modern unit eliminate most of that issue

 

[Joesell]

I use a dust mask when I clean out my owb. I don't do it as often as I should, so there's usually a full skidder bucket of ashes.

I don't wear one when I'm loading though. I just try to stay out of the smoke the best that I can.

 

[JeffHK454]

The white dust or "comfort" masks you get at hardware stores don't do much to protect you from smoke , unless they're specifically rated for .1 to .3 microns the bad stuff from smoke goes right through. Now wearing them when you're doin a lot of ash handling is a good idea, cheapo comfort masks can greatly reduce the amount of exposer you get.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I use a dust mask when I clean out my owb. I don't do it as often as I should, so there's usually a full skidder bucket of ashes.

I don't wear one when I'm loading though. I just try to stay out of the smoke the best that I can.

Do you have pics of your skidder? I've never seen one with a bucket.

 

[sunfish]

just to clarify, the heatmor 200css is an owb

Gotcha, disregard my post. OWBs are just not on my radar...

 

[Joesell]

Do you have pics of your skidder? I've never

This is from last year with the old skidder. I had 2 full buckets that time!

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

That looks like a skid steer to me.
Skidder is what gets used to pull logs out of the woods.

This is from last year with the old skidder. I had 2 full buckets that time!View attachment 391129

 

[aarolar]

Just my humble opinion but of your that scared of a little ash and smoke then perhaps you should consider heating the house with something other than wood.

 

[kliped]

Just my humble opinion but of your that scared of a little ash and smoke then perhaps you should consider heating the house with something other than wood.

lol im trying to prevent a future of lung cancer and oxygen masks
...and its pretty apparent that i am not the only one

 

[svk]

No

My boiler has a small hood with an exhaust fan. I turn that on before opening the door to feed. If you open the door slowly it works pretty well.

When emptying ash I pull my t-shirt over my face so I don't inhale anything. I've got mild asthma so no sense in putting anything unwanted down the throat.

 

[Joesell]

That looks like a skid steer to me.
Skidder is what gets used to pull logs out of the woods.

Do skidders have buckets?

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Do skidders have buckets?

Nope, that is why I asked.

 

[Chainsaw Master]

I wear one of these for carving, also works for messing with the OWB....

http://rzmask.com/category/uses/road/atv

 

[sw18x]

We just moved into a new home in August with an indoor stove, but prior to that I spent three winters loading a mahoning OWB 3 times a day. I don't know how it compares to other units but it was a pretty serious shot of smoke every time you opened the door. After the first week I set aside my pride and started wearing a respirator any time I opened the door. Aarolar's comments are out of line - that much smoke is a health hazard, period, especially if you've got asthma.

 

[svk]

We just moved into a new home in August with an indoor stove, but prior to that I spent three winters loading a mahoning OWB 3 times a day. I don't know how it compares to other units but it was a pretty serious shot of smoke every time you opened the door. After the first week I set aside my pride and started wearing a respirator any time I opened the door. Aarolar's comments are out of line - that much smoke is a health hazard, period, especially if you've got asthma.

It sounds like some OWB push out more smoke than others. My friend feeds about 25 cords each year through a big OWB heating three buildings and he jokes that he doesn't have eyebrows from October through May thanks to feeding the boiler lol.