What Is a Catalytic Wood Stove (and Should You Get One)?

Alt Title: When Is a Catalytic Wood Stove Worth Getting?

Millions of people consider installing wood stoves every year, either to use them as a supplemental source of heating, a secondary location for cooking, or both. Since wood stoves are relatively inexpensive yet highly practical, it’s a reasonable consideration for most homeowners.

But if you’re relatively new to this field, you might be surprised to learn there’s a fundamentally new type of wood stove available: the catalytic wood stove. But what exactly is a catalytic wood stove and should you consider getting one instead of a traditional wood stove?

Catalytic Wood Stoves: The Basics

A catalytic wood stove is a type of wood stove that relies on a component called a catalytic combustor. The catalytic combustor is designed to take emitted gasses and particulate matter and burn them in a secondary process. This combustor operates at very high temperatures, essentially allowing the wood stove to take advantage of a secondary source of fuel without any additional input from the user.

In other words, you burn the wood as a primary fuel source, creating heat and waste products. You then take the waste products and burn those as well, creating even more heat and less waste in the process.

The end result is that catalytic wood stoves tend to have higher efficiency, fewer emissions, lower and steadier temperatures, and longer burn times when you take the amount of fuel added into account.

That all sounds fantastic, but is a catalytic wood stove always the right answer?

Advantages of Catalytic Wood Stoves

These are some of the greatest advantages of catalytic wood stoves:

·       Energy efficiency. One of the selling points of catalytic wood stoves is that they’re extremely energy efficient. Because they’re capable of burning the gasses and particulate matter originally created by the primary burn, they can do much more with a limited amount of fuel.

·       Low emissions. Catalytic wood stoves have lower emissions, making them arguably better for the environment. Just as the catalytic converter in your car reduces emissions and makes it run more efficiently, catalytic wood stoves can operate at peak efficiency.

·       Low temperatures. Overall, catalytic wood stoves burn at lower, steadier temperatures. This is ideal for some applications, like certain types of cooking.

·       Relative inexpensiveness. After reading about the technology included in a catalytic wood stove, you might think they are much more expensive than their traditional counterparts. However, this isn’t the case; catalytic wood stoves are relatively inexpensive for what you get.

·       Minimal learning curve. Learning how to manage a traditional wood stove can be challenging for some people, but catalytic wood stoves are pretty easy to understand, even for a novice.

·       No risk of overheating. Because of the lower, more controlled burn in catalytic wood stoves, overheating is generally not a concern.

·       Controlled burn rate. Catalytic wood stoves also offer a controlled burn rate. Your wood is going to last much longer, and once you get familiar with the mechanics of this operation, you’ll be able to reliably predict how long your fuel is going to last.

Disadvantages of Catalytic Wood Stoves

However, there are also some disadvantages of catalytic wood stoves to consider:

·       Less heating capacity. The low temperatures and steady burn rates associated with catalytic wood stoves are certainly appealing, but they also create less overall heating capacity. Traditional wood stoves are arguably more powerful and more capable of adequately heating large, open spaces.

·       Need for maintenance. Catalytic wood stoves are more mechanically complex, so it’s understandable that they have a greater need for maintenance. Expect to spend more time and/or money on maintenance if you have one.

·       Few models available. While the first catalytic wood stove dates back to 1980, this is still a relatively new technology. Accordingly, there are not many options on the market; if you want a broader range of options, you’ll need to consider traditional wood stoves.

·       Low temperatures. While sometimes advantageous, low temperatures can also be a drawback in certain applications. You’ll need to consider your intended use when deciding between the two.

Most Important Factors to Consider

If you’re on the fence about getting a catalytic wood stove, or you aren’t sure how to approach the decision in the first place, these are some of the most important factors you need to weigh:

·       Your personal goals. What are you trying to accomplish? In other words, why do you want a wood stove in the first place? If you’re getting a wood stove primarily for cooking, you might benefit from the catalytic wood stove’s low learning curve and low, steady temperature.

·       Space to heat. How much space do you need to heat? For example, if you’re trying to heat an entire house, a catalytic wood stove may not be the right move since it has less overall heating capacity.

·       Tolerance for maintenance. You’ll also need to think about how much maintenance you’re willing to conduct. Catalytic wood stoves require somewhat more maintenance than traditional wood stoves, though for most people, this isn’t a make-or-break factor.

Both traditional and catalytic wood stoves are worth considering for most people interested in this fixture. However, you’ll likely find that one is a much better fit for your needs than the other. 

Do your due diligence, review your options carefully, and only move forward once you feel confident in your decision.