20 Misconceptions About Wood Burning Stove: Busted

Wood Burning Stoves Near Me

Wood stoves can help you save money on your energy bills. They also aid in active woodland management, benefitting wildlife.

If they are not maintained and installed correctly, they could produce carbon monoxide which can pose health risks to the family. To prevent this, look for an EPA-certified wood stove that has modern technology to ensure safe operation.

Catalytic Stoves

A catalytic fireplace is equipped with a catalyst which resembles honeycomb. It converts wood smoke into water and carbon dioxide. It is an excellent choice for anyone looking to reduce their indoor pollution and save money by burning less wood. They consume less fuel, burn more hot, and produce less creosote. However, they are more expensive to operate than non-catalytic models, and require regular maintenance of the combustion chamber.

Wood Stoves Certified by the EPA

The EPA requires wood stoves to be designed under certain guidelines that limit their emissions. According to these guidelines, a catalytic stove must not emit more than 7.5 grams per hour. This is in comparison to 4.1 grams per hour of smoke for a non catalytic stove. However, it's important to remember that lower emissions ratings do not translate into better heating efficiency.

Sizing and Selection

It is very important to make sure your wood stove is designed for the space in which it will be installed. The wrong size stove won't function as it should and may even overheat. The proper woodburner stove size will boost heat output while cutting emissions. The brochure: Buying an EPA-Certified wood stove (PDF 530K), provides a convenient method to determine the size and type of the best wood stove.

Non-Catalytic and Catalytic stoves

The first wood stove made was non-catalytic stove. These stoves are also known as traditional wood-burning stoves, or open fire stoves. The main benefit of a non-catalytic stove is that it doesn't require an additional combustion in order to reduce emissions. However, a substantial amount of energy wasted is lost as smoke. The smoke from wood stoves that are not catalytic contain creosote, a hefty residue which is a highly toxic substance. The introduction of the catalytic wood stove has eliminated these problems. The catalytic wood stove employs catalysts to burn the gases in the smoke and eliminates toxic creosote.

The catalytic electric wood stove burner was designed to lower the emission of toxic gases. However it is less efficient than the secondary combustion system that is used in the non-catalytic model. The catalyst can produce unhealthy fumes because it doesn't completely burn the byproducts of burning wood. Additionally, the honeycomb structure of the catalyst can break down over time. This can lead to a decrease in performance and the need for replacement.

Cleaning the Combustion Chamber Clean

A catalytic combustor that is functioning properly will appear to be like a powdery gray. It should be free from soot, ash or any other material that could clog the catalytic surfaces, and reduce their surface area. The combustor should not be exposed to impingement of flames. This could be caused by an extremely fast, strong draft that is pulling flames directly into the catalytic converter. This may also happen when the firebox's or ash pan door is left open.

It is important to inspect the catalytic combustor for physical damage, and for the need for replacement. If the catalytic combustor is damaged or requires to be replaced, it must be done as quickly as is feasible to ensure maximum performance.