Catalytic wood stoves are better suited to long stable continuous primary heating applications whereas non catalytic wood stoves are suited to intermittent or supplemental heating applications.
Catalytic versus non catalytic wood burning stoves.
Homeowners will save money and time with a non catalytic model over a catalytic model.
It is also easier to start and operate and is ideal for those with less heating demands on their wood stoves.
A few key advantages for a non catalytic stove are.
Because the particulate matter contained in the exhaust is burned at a much higher temperature catalytic wood stoves are a minimum of 10 percent more efficient than non catalytic stoves depending on the application.
And since it can t manage the very low burn rates of a catalytic stove a non catalytic stove won t be able to be able to achieve the very long burn times of its best catalytic cousins.
What are catalytic and non catalytic stoves.
You can still use a non catalytic wood stove as a primary heating source and get long burn times high efficiency ratings and warm a large area however catalytic wood stoves offer extended burn times and a more stable heat output when compared to the non catalytic versions.
A catalytic stove is designed to burn off even more of the smoke and ash before venting to the outside.
Although it s easier to operate a non catalytic stove can t achieve the highest levels of efficiency and the lowest levels of emissions as compared to a catalytic.
Rather than depending on a catalyst for an efficient burn these wood stoves utilize an air injection process to ignite the smoke and creosote allowing it to burn up before harmful gases exit the flue and damage the environment.
It does have a few.
One reason for the increased efficiency is the higher temperature that a catalytic stove reaches compared to a non catalytic stove.
Moreover a non catalytic stove won t burn as cleanly at low temperatures.
A non catalytic stove does not use a catalytic combuster to ignite the smoke and produce more heat.