How the FIRECAT combustor works...

How the FIRECAT combustor works...

Normally, smoke will burn, at a temperature of 1000 F. or higher. Burning a stove this hot would require continuous intense fire and would require a higher wood consumption.

The answer to eliminate this is the catalytic combustor.

Wood smoke gases coming in contact with the catalyst, causes chemical changes to take place. This will then allow the smoke to ignite at temperatures around 500 F. or (260 C.)

This temperature is easily achieved in the firebox of a wood burning stove.

As the wood gases ignite and burn within the catalytic combustor, clean by-products of water vapor (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are emitted.

Inlet wood gases 500° to 700° F....  

HYDROGEN

CARBON MONOXIDE

METHANE ACETIC ACID

FORMALDEHYDE

HYDROCARBON

Combustor exhaust... WATER VAPOR and CO2

Guarantied consumer satisfaction.

What guaranty does the consumer receive on the catalytic combustor when they purchase a new catalytic, EPA-certified wood burning stove?

First of all, it is spelled out in the U.S. Federal Register this way: If the affected facility is a catalytic wood heater, the warranty for the catalytic combustor shall include the replacement of the combustor and any prior replacement of the combustor without charge to the consumer for:

(1) 2 years from the date the consumer purchased the heater for any defects in workmanship or materials that prevent the combustor from functioning when installed and operated properly in the wood heater.

(2) 3 years from the date the consumer purchased the heater for thermal crumbling or disintegration of the substrate material for heaters manufactured after July 1, 1990.

All combustors sold as a component of an EPA-certified wood burning appliance must be EPA approved. The Versagrid Firecat catalytic combustors are approved by the U.S. EPA.

The Versagrid Firecat catalytic combustors carry a six year prorated Limited Lifetime Warranty. With the first 3 years having free replacements as spelled out above.

Consider this when buying a woodburning appliance.....

A leading catalytic stove manufacturer quoted as follows: If the consumer wants:
1. an efficient stove (burns less wood / BTU),
2. a stove that costs less to operate (burns less wood / BTU),
3. a stove that pollutes significantly less at low and medium burn rates,
4. a stove that will easily go 10 to 12 hours on a load of wood without reloading and while not polluting. Then a catalytic stove is a smart choice.
 One complaint might be that a replacement catalyst can cost the consumer more than $200 in the larger stove models. (4 cu. ft. firebox) Several stove manufactures have stated that a catalyst will save 5 cords of wood per heating season. With that in mind, consider the number of cords you burn each season and the cost of a cord of firewood (you pick a cost) - say $200, $350. Naturally the cost per cord depends on where you live and the type of wood you burn. Now do some math and look at the savings. Exactly how expensive is something that saves you more than $1,000 per season. And for those who get their firewood free, what was the cost and time required to cut it, load it, move it, store it, dry it and etc.
Point is CATALYST SAVE TIME & MONEY. Also remember, the catalyst in a new EPA certified wood burning stove carries an EPA approved 6 year prorated warranty from the date of purchase of the appliance. The first three years are free replacements should the catalyst go bad. After the first 6 years, starting from the date the appliance was purchased, a FIRECAT replacement catalyst can be purchased (if needed) with another special prorated warranty.
 Call Applied Ceramics 770-448-6888 for complete details or log on to appliedceramics.com and click on Hearth Products.

What can a catalytic woodburning stove do for you?

Can an EPA certified catalytic woodburning appliance save the consumer money?

Yes, For example, if you have a typical unregulated stove and use three cords of wood (at $100/cord) and have three chimney cleanings (at $50 each) per season, you can save about $200 per season by purchasing a new EPA-certified stove.

If the new stove is catalytic, you will save an additional cord of wood out of every three cords you burn each season.

Your actual savings will vary according to how often you use your stove and other factors.

Nationwide, the net savings from reduced firewood consumption and fewer chimney cleanings is estimated to be $30 million annually. In addition, the health and welfare benefits resulting from fewer smoke-related illnesses and from reduced materials damage is estimated at about $1.5 billion annually

Why buy a catalytic wood burning appliance?

If you're serious about your burning and heating, it's simple...

An EPA Phase II catalytic wood burning appliance delivers 72% or better heating efficiency. This means that 72% of the energy available in wood is delivered into the surrounding living area.

In addition to the 72% heating efficiency, the catalytic wood burning stoves of today will:
1. Reduce air pollution by up to 90%.
2. Reduce creosote build-up. (Up to 90% reduction)
3. Generate up to 50% more useful heat from each log.
4. Generate longer burns per load.
5. Saves the consumer up to 1/3 on fuel cost. (One less cord out of every 3)

Why does the U.S. EPA regulate woodburning appliances?

Residential woodstoves are one of the nation's largest sources of particulate matter (smoke). Wood smoke also contains significant amounts of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and many other organic compounds. These pollutants are known to cause respiratory and cardiovascular illness and contribute to atmospheric visibility problems and property damage. The EPA regulations require woodstove manufacturers to produce stoves that emit less pollution.
As consumers replace their older woodstoves with cleaner, more efficient, new stoves, the quality of the air will improve, particularly in residential neighborhoods where wood burning stoves are popular.

Be sure and ask your local stove dealer about the high efficient, clean burning catalytic stoves and watch for my future articles on "Buying an EPA-Certified Woodstove"

Overall Tips & Warnings when buying and using a wood burning appliance.

* Look for two labels on the appliance. One will certify that the stove meets Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards; the other will list the efficiency range and heat output in BTUs.

* Look for standard features including self-cleaning glass, hidden hinges and reversible flues, as well as
optional accessories such as fans, gold-plated accents and heat shields for walls.

* Use a certified installer.

* Read the appliance’s operating manual before building the first fire in the stove.

* Your home's air will become very dry when heated with a wood stove. Combat this with a humidifier
or by placing a kettle of water on the stove.

* Ordinances regulating wood stove use vary by city and sometimes within cities. Check the back of the
stove for the EPA certification label to see if you comply with local ordinances.

* Hire a certified chimney sweep for regular cleanings. Dirty chimneys can cause catastrophic chimney
fires.