Greetings. I recently moved into a house with a fireplace insert that has been converted into a free standing stove. It's and old stove, but well built. The stove has an ash pan with the air vents in the pan. The grate is cast iron with 3/8 inch holes. I cannot get a good bed of coals. My wood is partially dry. Can I be getting too much air? How can I get a layer of ash on a grate with all those holes? Do I really need a layer of ash?
