# Using shop vac for fireplace ash (HEPA filters?)



## Joeywhat (Apr 18, 2020)

I'd really like to use my Ridgid shop vac to clean out my fireplace ash periodically. From what I've read, most of the reason anyone suggests a proper ash vacuum is due to heat from potential hot embers in the ash. I don't need to clean it out right after a fire, waiting several days isn't an issue, and I don't mind stirring the ash a bit several times before vacuuming to ensure nothing is still burning under the ash.

Beyond that obviously the filter is a consideration. Will a HEPA filter catch all the ash? It seems to me that ash vacuums just use a HEPA, but obviously I don't want ash particles being blown out the vacuum exhaust so I'd like to be sure. My plan was to use a dust bag plus a HEPA filter to catch anything the dust bag doesn't get.

Any thoughts? Am I flirting with danger here or is this a reasonable alternative to not having a dedicated ash vacuum?


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

In my last house I had a wood burning fireplace and I used my shop vac to clean it out regularly. I keep a drywall dust bag in mine all the time and never had an issue with dust/ash getting anywhere but in the vac.


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## Joeywhat (Apr 18, 2020)

I was wondering if the "regular" dust bags would catch it all. I think I'm going to grab a HEPA anyways because why not, can't hurt to have both.

That's good to know, though.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

The thread reminds me of my first house, which had a fireplace. 

There was a chimney clean out door in the basement, below the fireplace. First time I go to clean it out, I look..... and that's interesting, hardly any ashes. First time cleaning it out, so didn't really know what to expect. Oh, but wait, I think I see a build up above the clean out door. So I poke the handle end of my brush into it, and WHOOOSH ---- several cubic feet of ash come suddenly down, making a horrible mess of me and my basement.

Don't think I ever vacuumed the fireplace itself though.


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## Joeywhat (Apr 18, 2020)

I don't have a cleanout in mine, so I have to shovel it out periodically which is more of a pain than I'd like.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

SPS-1 said:


> The thread reminds me of my first house, which had a fireplace.
> 
> There was a chimney clean out door in the basement, below the fireplace. First time I go to clean it out, I look..... and that's interesting, hardly any ashes. First time cleaning it out, so didn't really know what to expect. Oh, but wait, I think I see a build up above the clean out door. So I poke the handle end of my brush into it, and WHOOOSH ---- several cubic feet of ash come suddenly down, making a horrible mess of me and my basement.
> 
> Don't think I ever vacuumed the fireplace itself though.


I can envision that and can't help but laugh, sorry.

Mine had a clean out door on the outside, but I never used it. We only built a fire once a year and Christmas when the kids and grandkids were over.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I use a shop vac to do seasonal cleaning of ashes from our wood burning furnace so I can inspect the grates and firebricks. I don’t do it every day, there is an ash pan. I use a vac with a round pleated filter. The dust doesn’t get past the filter but it will collect on the filter so that I have to clean it after I am done.


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## ratherbefishing (Jan 13, 2011)

You could use a Dust Deputy or Dust Stopper inline with the shop vac.


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## Mordekyle (Dec 3, 2020)

Joeywhat said:


> I was wondering if the "regular" dust bags would catch it all. I think I'm going to grab a HEPA anyways because why not, can't hurt to have both.
> 
> That's good to know, though.


Get some flexible dryer ducting and send the exhausted air out a window.

That was how my chimney sweep did it. Pretty clever.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## knuckleduster271 (Jan 5, 2021)

I use just that on our pellet stoves- just make sure they're cooled down and there are no embers


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## Deaknh (Mar 24, 2018)

I use a ridgid to clean my pellet stove. The pellet ash is much finer than wood stove ash, and just a hepa filter traps all of it. I held a white cloth over the exhaust to check and nothing exiting ash wise.


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## Joeywhat (Apr 18, 2020)

Apparently the "fine dust" filters are rated for Ash. I picked one up, but they didn't have any canister bags in stock, I'm going to run both just to make cleanup easier. They also didn't have any HEPA filters, wouldn't mind just running one of those, I also use this to pick up pet hair around the house.


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