Eight Important Reasons Why a Catalytic Wood Stove Shouldn’t Be Operated with Combustor Removed
Catalytic combustor equipped woodstoves may look like any other wood stove. But they are designed to burn in a special way. The catalytic combustor is a ceramic or metal honeycomb coated with a catalyst, such as platinum or palladium. Strategically placed in the smoke path inside a wood stove, the catalytic combustor literally causes smoke to burn as fuel, creating more heat from less wood. That means a wood stove can be burned slowly, transforming most energy stored in a log to the room as heat, instead of to the outside air as pollution.
Efficiency
The catalytic combustor in your woodstove burns smoke so your stove produces greater heat. If you operate a catalytic woodstove without its combustor, you cheat yourself out of warmth you would otherwise be getting from your stove.
Longer Burn Time
Engaging your combustor allows the fuel to burn longer in the slow-burn mode. This gives you the benefit of heating longer with one load of wood.
Safety
Combustors help prevent build-up of hazardous creosote in flues and chimneys. People who remove combustors risk unexpected chimney fires with damage to property and danger to people.
Voiding Manufacturers’ Warranties
Catalytic stoves are designed to operate at high temperatures only with the combustor engaged. If you remove the combustor you have an uncontrolled fire that may lead to eventual cracking of metal or damage to components, possibly rendering your stove inoperable. If you operate your catalytic woodstove without its combustor, the stoves manufacturer’s warranty is void.
Losing Insurance Coverage
Operating woodstoves in any manner warned against in manufacturers’ manuals, including without the combustor, may cause insurance companies to reject claims for damage or injury.
Reducing Air Pollution
Catalytic woodstoves are specifically engineered to operate properly with a combustor. You will observe dirty smoke emissions from your chimney if you operate your catalytic wood stove without its combustor.
It’s the Law
Federal law requires that EPA-certified catalytic wood stoves be operated with combustors to reduce air pollution over the entire life of the stove.
Saving Money Over the Long Haul
Removing or not replacing a combustor is false economy. Over time, the money invested to maintain or replace the combustor will pay off in improved performance, with more heat for less wood and less frequent chimney cleaning. |
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Catalytic Combustors
