Wood Burning Stoves Near Me

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

If they aren't properly installed and maintained they may release carbon monoxide which poses health risks to the entire family. To avoid this, select a wood stove that is EPA certified and features the latest technology to ensure safe operation.

Catalytic Stoves

A catalytic fireplace comes with a catalyst that looks like a honeycomb. It converts wood smoke into water and carbon dioxide. It is a good choice for those who want to reduce indoor pollution and save money by burning less wood. These stoves use less fuel, burn faster and produce less creosote. They can be more costly to operate than non catalytic models and require regular maintenance on the combustion chamber.

Wood Stoves that have been certified by the EPA

The EPA requires that wood stoves are designed according to specific guidelines that limit their emissions. The guidelines stipulate that a catalytic wood stove should test at least 7.5 grams of smoke per hour. This is in contrast to 4.1 grams per hour for a non-catalytic stove. It's important to remember that lower emission ratings don't necessarily translate into better heating efficiency.

Sizing and Selection

It is important that your wood stove is built correctly for the home where it will be placed. The wrong sized stove won't perform as it should and could even overheat. The correct stove size will increase the heat output while cutting emissions. The brochure: Buying an wood stove that is certified by the EPA (PDF 530K) is a great way to measure and choose the right wood stove.

Non-Catalytical and Catalytic stoves

The first wood stove made was non-catalytic stove. They are also referred to as traditional wood burning stoves or open-fire stoves. The non-catalytic stove is advantageous in that it doesn't require a second combustion to reduce emissions. However, a significant amount of energy that is wasted is lost as smoke. The smoke that is produced by a non-catalytic wood stove contains a heavy residue called creosote which is a very toxic substance. The catalytic wood heater has helped to alleviate these problems. The catalytic wood stove uses catalysts to burn the smoke's gases and eliminates 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 that is used in the non-catalytic model. The catalyst does produce some toxic fumes due to the fact that it doesn't fully burn the byproducts of burning wood. The honeycomb structure could degrade over time. This can lead to a decline in performance and the need for replacement.

Maintain the Combustion Chamber Clean

A functioning catalytic combustor will have an appearance of light gray powdery. It should be free of soot, ash, or tatty materials that would plug up the cells and decrease catalytic surface area. The combustor should also not be subject to impingement of flames. This can be caused by an extremely fast, strong draft that draws flames directly into the catalytic converter. This can also happen if you leave the firebox or ash pan doors open.

It is essential to inspect the catalytic combustor to determine whether it has physical damage and the need to be replaced. If it is damaged or requires replacement, it should be replaced as quickly as possible to ensure the stove's optimal performance.