The Top Reasons Why People Succeed At The Wood Burning Stove Industry

Wood Burning Stoves Near Me

Wood stoves can help you reduce your energy bills. They also support active woodland management, which benefits wildlife.

If they are not properly installed and maintained, they can produce carbon monoxide that poses health risks to the entire family. To avoid this, pick a wood stove that is EPA certified and has modern technology to ensure safe operation.

Catalytic Stoves

A catalytic fireplace is outfitted with a catalyst which looks like honeycomb. It converts wood smoke into carbon dioxide. It is a great option for anyone looking to reduce their indoor air pollution and save money by burning less wood. These stoves use less fuel, burn hotter and produce less creosote. However, they can be more expensive to operate than non-catalytic models. They also require regular maintenance of the combustion chamber.

EPA-Certified Wood Stoves

The EPA requires that wood stoves be designed under certain guidelines that reduce their emissions. These guidelines dictate that the catalytic stove must test no higher than 7.5 grams of smoke per hour. This compares with 4.1 g/hr of smoke for a non catalytic stove. But, it's important to note that lower emissions ratings don't translate into more heating efficiency.

Sizing and Selection

It is vital to ensure that your wood stove is sized for the home in which it will be installed. The wrong sized stove won't perform as it should and could even overheat. A properly sized stove will increase the heat powered wood stove fan output while decreasing emissions. The brochure: Buying a certified wood stove that is EPA-certified (PDF 530K) is a great way to measure and choose the best wood stove.

Non-Catalytic and Catalytic stoves

The first type of wood stove that was made was the non-catalytic one. They are also referred to as traditional wood burning stoves or open-fire woodburning stoves. The main benefit of a non-catalytic stove is that it doesn't need a secondary combustion to reduce emissions. Smoke is a major source of wasted energy. The smoke produced by a non-catalytic wood stove contains creosote, a hefty residue which is a very toxic substance. The introduction of the catalytic wood stove eliminated these problems. The catalytic wood stove uses a catalyst to burn the smoke containing gases and eliminates the toxic creosote.

The catalytic wood burner was designed to minimize toxic emissions. However it's less efficient than the secondary combustion system that is used in the non-catalytic model. The catalyst produces unhealthy fumes because it doesn't completely burn the byproducts from burning wood. In addition, the honeycomb structure of the catalyst can break down over time. This could result in a decrease in performance and a need for replacement.

Cleaning the Combustion Chamber Clean

A catalytic combustor working properly will appear as a grayish powder. It should be free from soot, ash, or any other material that could plug up the catalytic surfaces and decrease their surface area. The combustor should not be exposed to flame impingement. This could be caused by a fast, powerful draft that draws flames directly into the catalytic converter. This could also happen if the firebox door or ash pan door is left open.

It is essential to check the catalytic combustor for physical damage and a need to be replaced. If it is damaged or in need of replacement, it must be replaced as quickly as possible to ensure maximum performance.