CSI:Ashpit

[jwesevich]

Finally got around to moving stuff around in a part of the basement we hadn't touched since the move, and thought I'd clean up the ashes spilling out of the main chimney ashpit. I don't think anybody had touched it in decades...about two feet up, I found a Providence Journal page from May of 1966 (5 Qts of Motor Oil, 1.98; Shocks + installion 9.95/pair)... How many of you remember buying an add-on air-conditioner for your car?

Apparently, the fireplace was used as a kind of garbage dump...lots of Lark, Winston (packaging from the '70s) and Chesterfield packs in there, along with dozens and dozens of nails, most bent. The Swede who owned the place in the '30s and '40s was in construction, so the only thing I can figure is that he was burning wood from renovations...

I was also surprised at the size of the thing...roughly equivalent to our washing machine...I didn't even clean it all out..

jeff

[Vaso7]

Oh, the memories of cleaning the basement!!!

Actually in my house the ash pits themselves were lots cleaner than the rest of the basement. And that is not an exaggeration! There were parts of the basement with lots of left over coal just thrown around with garbage. I remember thinking that with the lead poisoning and the asbestos contamination I have to add the coal dust poisoning....

My clean basement is my joy and pride though....

[YinzerMama]

I first read this as apesh*t and was very confused.



I have never thought about stuff being in the ash thing in our basement. There is a door but I don't know what it was used for as the fireplace was always gas I think. It's stuck but I haven't tried very hard. Hmmmmmm. I think I need to try harder.

[triguy128]

I first read this as apesh*t and was very confused.



I have never thought about stuff being in the ash thing in our basement. There is a door but I don't know what it was used for as the fireplace was always gas I think. It's stuck but I haven't tried very hard. Hmmmmmm. I think I need to try harder.

IT's called a prybar... in any older home, it's a must have item.

[YinzerMama]

LOL we have one. I just didn't try very hard because I didn't think there'd be anything in there but yucky stuff.

[YinzerMama]

All right I whacked it with a hammer a few times and it opened. Nothing much inside. Dust, few chunks of mortar, and cold air. What the heck is this door even for? It's above my boiler, in the chimney the boiler used to vent into. Was it a clean out for cinders and soot from the boiler? Nothing interesting inside alas.

[mross_pitt]

I found lots and lots of broken dish pieces, a dead bird, and an old aerosol deodorant can(I guess the fire was making someone sweat).
And for some reason, my ashpit door is backwards/upside down.