Catalytic wood stove - Operation Do's

Burn only dry, seasoned wood, not wet or freshly cut wood. Season wood at least six months; store outdoors, loosely covered, to allow air to circulate freely through the pile. "Green" or wet wood releases less heat because energy from the fire must first evaporate the moisture before producing useful heat.

Build and maintain moderately hot fires quickly after loading the wood. A hot initial fire will help your catalyst light-off faster. However, once lit, the catalyst will stay lit even if the fire burns lower. Catalyst temperatures of 1,000°F or more are typical in normal operation. Once a catalyst "lights-off," it will stay lit at temperatures of about 500°F.

Burn moderate to full loads of wood that will provide several hours of uninterrupted burning and minimize door openings. By minimizing door openings, you allow the temperatures to stay high, which reduces pollution. Frequent door openings increase pollution both inside and outside your home.

Operate your stove in the bypass mode initially (i.e., so that smoke bypasses the catalyst). Wait until the stove is hot enough before engaging the catalyst, but be careful not to overheat the stove. The reason for this is that, to some extent, the catalyst may reduce the draft. With poor draft, the fire will take longer to develop and the catalyst will take longer to light-off.

Operate the stove's internal fans, if your stove has them, in strict accordance with the operating instructions. Some manufacturers recommend leaving the fans turned off for 30 minutes after start-up and refueling, and setting them on low for small fires. This is important because fans remove heat from the fire; cooler fires result in more pollution.

Two stove options

Non-catalytic Stoves

Non-catalytic stoves do not use a catalyst, but have three internal characteristics that create a good environment for complete combustion. These are firebox insulation, a large baffle to produce a longer, hotter gas flow path, and pre-heated combustion air introduced through small holes above the fuel in the firebox.
Non-cats cannot match the even heat output of catalytic stoves, but their owners love watching the beautiful fire they create. The baffle and some other internal parts of a non-catalytic stove will need replacement from time to time as they deteriorate with the high heat of efficient combustion.
Although most of the stoves on the market are non-cats, some of the most popular high-end stoves use catalytic combustion. Because they are slightly more complicated to operate, and the best of them do produce exceptional performance, catalytic stoves are suited to people who like technology and are prepared to maintain the stove properly so it continues to operate at peak performance. Both options have their pros and cons.

Catalytic Stoves

In catalytic combustion the smoky exhaust is passed through a coated ceramic honeycomb inside the stove where the smoke gases and particles ignite and burn. Catalytic stoves are capable of producing a long, even heat output.
All catalytic stoves have a lever-operated catalyst bypass damper, which is opened for starting and reloading. The catalytic honeycomb degrades over time and must be replaced, but its durability is largely in the hands of the stove user. The catalyst can last more than six seasons if the stove is used properly; but if the stove is over-fired, garbage is burned and regular cleaning and maintenance are not done, the catalyst may break down in as little as 2 years. (EPA note: Garbage should never be burned in a wood stove or fireplace.)

How fine particles can affect your health

Particle exposure can lead to a variety of health effects. For example, numerous studies link particle levels to increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits—and even to death from heart or lung diseases. Both long- and short-term particle exposures have been linked to health problems. For a more complete discussion of woodsmoke health effects research,


see Health Effects of Breathing Woodsmoke (PDF) (5pp, 58k).

Long-term exposures, such as those experienced by people living for many years in areas with high particle levels, have been associated with problems such as reduced lung function and the development of chronic bronchitis—and even premature death.
Short-term exposures to particles (hours or days) can aggravate lung disease, causing asthma attacks and acute bronchitis, and may also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.
If you have lung disease, and you are exposed to particles, you may not be able to breathe as deeply or vigorously as normal. You may have respiratory symptoms including coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort, wheezing and shortness of breath.

In people with heart disease, short-term exposures have been linked to heart attacks and arrhythmias. If you have heart disease, particles may cause you to experience chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue.

Healthy children and adults have not been reported to suffer serious effects from short-term exposures, although they may experience temporary minor irritation when particle levels are elevated. (source: http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=static.aqguidepart)

On the humorous side

Ash disposal

Ashes should be placed in a metal container with a tight fitting lid.
The closed container of ashes should be placed on a non-combustible
floor or on the ground, well away from all combustible materials,
pending final disposal. If the ashes are disposed of by burial in soil or
dispersed in an approved dumping area, they should be retained in the
closed container until cinders have thoroughly cooled.
Live cinders have been known to be active for more than 24 hours.