Wood Burning Stoves Near Me

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

However, if they aren't properly maintained and installed, they could produce carbon monoxide that poses health hazards for the entire family. To prevent this, look for an EPA-certified wood stove equipped with modern technology to ensure safety.

Catalytic Stoves

A catalytic stove comes with a specific honeycomb-like catalyst which converts the smoke from small wood stove into carbon dioxide and water. This is an excellent option for those who want to cut down on indoor air pollution while saving money. They consume less fuel, burn faster, and produce less creosote. However, they are more expensive to operate than non-catalytic models, and require regular maintenance of the combustion chamber.

EPA-Certified Wood Stoves

The EPA requires wood stoves to be constructed in accordance with certain guidelines that limit their emissions. The guidelines stipulate 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/hour for an uncatalytic stove. But, it's important to note that lower emissions ratings do not translate into more heating efficiency.

Sizing and Selection

It is crucial that your wood stove is designed to fit the area in which it will be put in. A stove that isn't properly sized will not perform as intended and could even overheat. The proper stove size will increase the heat output while reducing emissions. The brochure buying an EPA-certified Wood electric stove fireplace (PDF 530K) offers a straightforward method of sizing and selecting a new wood stove.

Non-Catalytical and Catalytic stoves

The first wood stove produced was a non-catalytic stove. They are also referred to as traditional wood burning stoves or open-fire stoves. The non-catalytic stove has the advantage that it doesn't need another combustion to lower emissions. However, a substantial amount of wasted energy is lost as smoke. The smoke from non-catalytic stoves is contaminated with a toxic substance known as creosote. The introduction of the catalytic wood stove reduced these problems. The catalytic wood stove uses catalysts to burn off the gases in the smoke and eliminates toxic creosote.

The catalytic wood burning device was created to minimize toxic emissions. However, it is less effective than the secondary combustion system utilized in the non-catalytic model. The catalyst can produce unhealthy fumes because it doesn't fully burn the byproducts of burning wood. The honeycomb structure may be damaged over time. This can result in lower performance and the necessity for replacement.

Make sure to keep the Combustion Chamber Clean

A properly functioning catalytic combustor will have a light gray powdery appearance. It should be free of soot, ash, or tatty materials that could clog the cells and reduce the surface area of catalytic reactions. The combustor must not be subjected to flame impingement. This can result from an extremely fast, strong draft that is pulling flames directly into the catalytic converter. This could also occur in the event that you leave the firebox and the ash pan doors open.

It is essential to check the catalytic combustor for physical damage, and for the need for replacement. If the catalytic unit is damaged or needs to be replaced, it should happen as soon as possible for optimal performance.