How To Explain Wood Burning Stove To Your Mom

Wood Burning Stoves Near Me

Wood stoves can help you save money on your energy bills. They also help with active woodland management that benefits wildlife.

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

Catalytic Stoves

A catalytic fireplace is equipped with a special catalyst, that looks like honeycomb. It converts wood smoke into water and carbon dioxide. It is a great option for anyone looking to cut down on indoor pollution and save money by burning less wood. These stoves use less multi fuel stoves, 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 that are EPA-Certified

The EPA requires that wood stoves be designed according to certain guidelines which reduce their emissions. According to these guidelines, catalytic stoves should not emit more than 7.5 grams per hour. This is in comparison to 4.1 g/hr of smoke for a non catalytic stove. It is important to remember that lower emissions ratings don't translate into more heating efficiency.

Sizing and Selection

It is very important to make sure your wood stove is properly designed for the space in which it is installed. The wrong size stove won't function as it should and may even overheat. Proper stove size increases the heat output and reduces emissions. The brochure: Buying a EPA-Certified wood stove (PDF 530K) offers a simple way to size and select the best wood stove.

Non-Catalytical and Catalytical stoves

The first wood stove made was an uncatalytic stove. These stoves are also known as traditional wood-log burning stoves (cool training) stoves or open fire stoves. The primary advantage of the non-catalytic stove is that it doesn't need an additional combustion to reduce emissions. Smoke is a major source of wasted energy. The smoke from a wood stove that is not catalytic has a heavy residue called creosote which is a highly toxic substance. The catalytic wood heater has eliminated the risk of these issues. The catalytic stove utilizes catalysts that burn the gases in the smoke to remove the toxic creosote.

The catalytic wood burner was developed to lower the emission of toxic gases. However it's less efficient than the secondary combustion system utilized in the non-catalytic model. The catalyst does not completely burn the byproducts from burning wood, and consequently produces some unhealthy emissions. The honeycomb structure could degrade over time. This can lead to lower performance and the need for replacement.

Cleaning the Combustion Chamber Clean

A functioning catalytic combustor will have a grayish-white appearance. It should be free of ash, soot or tatty material that could clog the catalytic surfaces and decrease their surface area. The combustor must not be subject to flame impingement. This can result from a fast, powerful draft that draws flames directly into the catalytic converter. This could also happen when the firebox's or ash pan door is left open.

It is important to regularly inspect the catalytic combustor to determine whether it has physical damage and the need to be replaced. If it is damaged or in need of replacement, it must be done as soon as possible to ensure the stove's best performance.