I talked to my friend who uses wood heat and he said that if the wood is
not well seasoned a once a day cleaning sound in order. He burns
seasoned hardwood and has to clean it every two days...but he says some
of his friends can go a bit longer.

His wood burner does not have a grate beneath the logs but merely a 4"
(or so) hole and an ash collector below. I suppose if I were more clever
I could even think of a joke.