Twenty Myths About Wood Burning Stove: Busted

Wood Burning Stoves Near Me

Wood stoves are a carbon-free renewable source of heat that could save money on energy bills. They also help with active woodland management that benefits wildlife.

However, if not properly maintained and installed, they could produce carbon monoxide that poses health hazards for the family. To avoid this, choose a wood stove that is EPA certified and features the latest technology to ensure safe operation.

Catalytic Stoves

A catalytic stove is outfitted with a specific honeycomb-like catalyst which converts the smoke from wood into carbon dioxide and water. It is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to cut down on indoor pollution and save money by burning less wood. These stoves use less fuel, burn more hot, and produce less creosote. However, they are more expensive to operate than non-catalytic models. They also require regular maintenance of the combustion chamber.

Wood Stoves Certified by the EPA

The EPA requires that wood stoves are designed according to certain guidelines which reduce their emissions. According to these guidelines a catalytic stove must not emit more than 7.5 grams per hour. This is in contrast to 4.1 g/hr of smoke for a non catalytic stove. However, it's important to remember that lower emissions ratings don't mean more efficient heating.

Sizing and Selection

It is very important to make sure your wood stove wood burning is designed for the space in which it will be installed. A stove that is not properly sized will not work as intended and could even overheat. The proper stove size will boost heat output while cutting emissions. The brochure purchasing an EPA-certified wood Stove (PDF 530K) offers a straightforward method of sizing and selecting the right wood stove.

Non-Catalytical and Catalytical stoves

The first type of wood stove produced was the non-catalytic stove. These stoves are also called traditional wood-burning stoves or open fire stoves. The primary benefit of a non-catalytic stove is that it doesn't require an additional combustion in order to reduce emissions. Smoke is a major source of wasted energy. The smoke from non-catalytic stoves is contaminated with a toxic substance called creosote. The introduction of the catalytic wood stove reduced these issues. The catalytic wood stove utilizes a catalyst to burn the smoke's gases and eliminates the toxic creosote.

The catalytic wood burner was developed to minimize toxic emissions. However, it is less effective than the secondary combustion system used in the non-catalytic model. The catalyst doesn't completely burn the byproducts of burning wood, which is why it produces some unhealthy fumes. In addition the honeycomb structure the catalyst may break down over time. This can lead to lower performance and the need for replacement.

Make sure to keep the Combustion Chamber Clean

A catalytic combustor operating properly will appear like a powdery gray. It must be free of ash, soot or other materials that could clog the cells and decrease the surface area of catalytic reactions. The combustor should also not be exposed to impingement of flames. This can be caused by an extremely fast, strong draft that is pulling flames directly into the catalytic converter. This could also happen when the firebox's door or ash pan's door is left open.

It is essential to check the combustion chamber of the catalytic catalytic for physical damage or the need to replace. If the catalytic unit is damaged or needs to be replaced, it should be done as quickly as is feasible to ensure maximum performance.