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.
One reason for the increased efficiency is the higher temperature that a catalytic stove reaches compared to a non catalytic stove.
It does have a few.
A catalytic stove is designed to burn off even more of the smoke and ash before venting to the outside.
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.
Moreover a non catalytic stove won t burn as cleanly at low temperatures.
A tale of three 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.
Non catalytic wood stoves if you re looking for a stove with a great price point non catalytic wood stoves tend to be more affordable than catalytic wood stoves.
No catalytic combustor to replace.
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.
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.
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.
What are catalytic and non catalytic stoves.
A few key advantages for a non catalytic stove are.