Wood Burning Stoves Near Me

Wood stoves are a non-carbon renewable source of heat powered wood stove fan that could reduce energy costs. They also help to support active woodland management, which benefits wildlife.

However, if not installed and maintained properly they can produce carbon monoxide that poses health risks for the entire family. To avoid this, look for an EPA-certified wood stove equipped with modern technology to ensure safety.

Catalytic Stoves

A catalytic stove comes with a special honeycomb-like catalyst that converts the smoke of wood into carbon dioxide and water. It is an excellent choice for those who want to reduce indoor air pollution and save money by burning less wood. The stoves are hotter and produce less creosote. They use less fuel. However, they are more expensive to operate than non-catalytic models. They also require regular maintenance of the combustion chamber.

Wood Stoves that have been certified by the EPA

The EPA requires that wood stoves be constructed in accordance with certain guidelines that limit their emissions. These guidelines state that a catalytic wood stove must be tested at a level that is not more than 7.5 grams of smoke per hour. This is in contrast to 4.1 grams per hour for a non-catalytic stove. However, it's important to keep in mind that lower emissions ratings do not translate into better heating efficiency.

Sizing and Selection

It is very important to ensure that your wood stove is sized for the home in which it will be installed. The wrong sized stove will not function as it was intended and may even overheat. A properly sized stove will increase heat output while cutting emissions. The brochure: Buying an EPA-Certified wood stove (PDF 530K) offers a simple method to determine the size and type of a new wooden stove.

Non-Catalytic and Catalytic stoves

The first type of wood stove made was the non-catalytic one. These 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 need an additional combustion to reduce emissions. Smoke is the primary source of energy wasted. The smoke produced by a non-catalytic wood stove contains creosote, a heavy substance, which is a highly toxic substance. The catalytic wood heater has 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 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 produce some harmful fumes since it doesn't burn completely the wood byproducts that result from burning. The honeycomb structure could break down with time. This can result in lower performance and the need for replacement.

Cleaning the Combustion Chamber Clean

A functioning catalytic combustor will have a light gray powdery appearance. It should be free from ash, soot or tatty material that can clog the catalytic surfaces and reduce their surface area. The combustor shouldn't be exposed to flame impingement. This can occur when a powerful, fast draft forces flames into a catalytic converter. This could also happen when the firebox's or ash pan's door is left open.

It is important to inspect the catalytic combustion chamber regularly for physical damage or a need to replace. If the catalytic combustor is damaged or needs to be replaced, it must be done as quickly as is feasible to ensure maximum performance.