For More Information
For additional copies of this brochure; a copy of
the brochure Noncatalytic Woodstoves: Installation,
Operation, and Maintenance; or a copy of the
brochure Buying an EPA-Certified Woodstove,
write to:

   Public Information Center (PM-211B)
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
   401 M Street, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20460

For a current list of EPA-certified woodstoves or
for more information about wood burning and
EPA's regulations, write or call:

   Wood Heater Program (EN-341W)
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
   401 M Street, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20460
   (703)308-8688
                                                    United States
                                                    Environmental Protection
                                                    Agency
                                                                   EPA-22A-4001
                                                                   March 1992
                                          Air And Radiation
                               dEPA Catalytic
                                          Woodstoves
                              i            Installation,
                              I            Operation,
                                          and
                                          Maintenance
USB
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                    \
                     a
     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
         Washington, D.C. 20460
                                                                       Printed on Recycled Paper

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This brochure was prepared by EPA and Radian Corporation under
EPA Contract No. 68-02-4464, Work Assignment No. 139.

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Why You Should Read This Brochure
A
  s an owner of a catalytic woodstove,
   the way you use your stove can pay
   dividends for your family's and neigh-
bors' health and your pocketbook. This EPA
brochure presents important tips you can
easily use with most catalytic woodstoves, and
will supplement the model-specific instruc-
tions found in your owner's manual. In  all
cases, follow the instructions that come with
your stove. Along with your owner's manual,
this brochure can help you with installation,
and help you operate and maintain your stove
to keep the air you breathe cleaner, reduce
your fuel and maintenance costs, and make
your home safer.
    There are several steps to getting the
fullest benefit from your stove, such as sizing
and selection, installation, operation, and
maintenance. A companion brochure, Buying
an EPA-Certified Woodstove, provides a  con-
venient method for determining what size
stove is best for your heating needs. It's
available either from your woodstove dealer
or by writing or calling EPA at one of the
addresses listed on the back of this brochure.
    The advice in this brochure applies only
to catalytic woodstoves. If you aren't sure if
your woodstove is catalytic, contact the
manufacturer or a local woodstove retailer.

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Installing Your
Catalytic Woodstove
    Improper installation of
    your woodstove can result in a
    house fire and cause greater pollution. If a
    stove isn't installed properly, it can also affect
    the draft of the stove (i.e., ability to draw com-
    bustion air and expel exhaust). Proper draft
    is critical to reducing pollution and maintain-
    ing high efficiency. Before having your stove
    installed, be sure to check with local authori-
    ties regarding building codes and permits,
    and notify your fire insurance company. The
    following tips discuss the importance of
    proper installation.

What You Should DO

Q DO have your woodstove professionally
    installed by a certified installer.
    BECAUSE: A certified installer can determine the
    proper draft for your stove,  make sure all the
    seals are tight, and ensure that your stove is
    installed with all safety measures in mind.

Q DO consult a certified installer about the need
    for a flue liner in your masonry chimney.
    BECAUSE: Lining the chimney can help main-
    tain proper draft and prevent icing, which can
    block your chimney.

  | DO use the manufacturer's recommended flue
    diameter.
    BECAUSE: An improperly sized flue will not pro-
    vide the draft needed to operate the stove. Also,
    smoke may leak into your house through the air
    inlets without proper draft.

Q DO make certain that all seals connecting the
    stove to the flue, and within the flue, are as
    tight as possible.
    BECAUSE: Tight seals will prevent smoke from
    leaking into your house and contribute to good
    draft.
•
Operating Your Catalytic Woodstove
    Follow the procedures below to operate your
    stove for maximum efficiency and minimum
    pollution. The catalyst plays an important
    part in how well your stove does its job. The
    catalyst in your stove, similar to the catalytic
    converter in your car, burns the unburned
    fuel (smoke) from the fire before it exits
    through the flue. A catalyst will start burn-
    ing the smoke coming from the fire when it
    has reached a temperature of between 350°
    and 600°F. At this point, the catalyst is said
    to "light-off." In some models, the catalyst
    will begin to glow when the temperature
    rises above 1000°F.

What You Should DO

Q DO burn only dry,
    well-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.
    BECAUSE: "Green" or wet wood releases less
    heat because energy from the fire must first
    evaporate the moisture before producing useful
    heat.

Q DO build and maintain moderately hot fires
    quickly after loading the wood.
    BECAUSE: 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 1000 °F or
    more are typical in normal operation. Once a
    catalyst lights-off, it will stay lit at tempera-
    tures of about 500° F.

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DO burn moderate to full loads of wood that
will provide several hours of uninterrupted
burning and minimize door openings.
BECAUSE: Minimizing door openings keeps the
temperatures high, which reduces pollution.
Frequent door openings increase pollution both
inside and outside your home.

DO operate your stove in the bypass mode
initially (i.e., smoke bypasses the catalyst).
Wait until the  stove is hot enough before
engaging the catalyst, but be careful not to
overheat the stove.
BECAUSE: 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.

DO 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.
BECAUSE: Fans  remove heat from the fire;
cooler fires result in more pollution.

DO buy a catalyst temperature monitor (if
your stove doesn't come with one). Monitor
catalytic temperature to determine when the
catalyst lights-off.
BECAUSE: If you engage the catalyst before
light-off, it will reduce the draft in your stove
without reducing the pollution. If you engage
the catalyst too late after light-off, you won't be
benefiting from its operation.
What You Should NOT DO

  | DO NOT burn trash, treated wood, particle
    board, plywood, or other fuels (such as coal,
    kerosene, or lighter fluid) unless they are
    listed on your stove's permanent label.
    BECAUSE: Trash produces fly ash.  Treated
    wood, particle board, and plywood contain
    chemicals that, when burned and inhaled, are
    hazardous. Burning other fuels may poison
    your catalyst or damage your stove. Cardboard,
    foil, and plastic may block exhaust flow
    through the catalyst, causing smoke to spill
    into your mom.

n DO NOT operate your stove in the catalyst
    bypass mode after the catalyst has reached
    the recommended temperature (350° to
    600°F).
    BECAUSE: At this point, your catalyst should be
    working for you (to produce more  heat using
    less firewood) and for the environment (destroy-
    ing smoke and the cancer-causing pollution in
    the smoke).

  ] DO NOT overfire your stove, especially when
    the catalyst is engaged. Avoid catalyst
    temperatures near or above  1600°F. This is
    another reason to use a catalyst temperature
    monitor.
    BECAUSE: Catalysts can be damaged or
    destroyed by prolonged high heat.  If
    temperatures are above 1600 °F, switch to
    bypass mode and allow the catalyst to cool
    down to about 1000 °F before resuming nor-
    mal catalytic operation.

Q DO NOT open the ash pan while catalyst is
    engaged.
    BECAUSE: This will lead to overheating.

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Maintaining Your Catalytic Woodstove
    Follow the procedures below to maintain your
    stove.

What You Should DO

Q DO check the catalyst
    when the stove is cool
    by shining a bright flashlight
    (where possible) onto the catalyst's surface
    from above and viewing from inside the stove;
    look for gaps between the catalyst and the
    gasket. Replace gasket if necessary.
    BECAUSE: The amount of light you can see com-
    ing through the gaps in the catalyst's surface is
    a good indication of how clean the catalyst is.
    Creosote buildup will block much of the light.
    Gaps between the catalyst and gasket can allow
    smoke to bypass the catalyst.

Q DO check the catalyst for crumbling, peeling,
    or other signs  of physical damage and for
    buildup of ash or creosote that can plug up
    the catalyst. Buildup can be burned off by
    building a hot  fire and partially engaging the
    catalyst (i.e., open catalyst bypass halfway, if
    possible). When catalyst is cool, brush with a
    soft brush or vacuum the catalyst face
    carefully. Replace catalyst if necessary.
    BECAUSE: Buildup can occur on the catalyst and
    interfere with its proper operation. This will
    diminish the catalyst's efficiency and increase
    pollution.

Q DO replace the catalyst if it's damaged, if
    large parts are missing, or it's obvious that
    the catalyst has deteriorated (i.e., fails to
    light-off when  it should). Follow your owner's
    manual for replacement instructions. Be sure
    there are no leaks around the catalyst
    gaskets.
BECAUSE: When a catalyst fails to operate
because of either physical or chemical deteriora-
tion, you will lose the benefits of reduced pollu-
tion and improved efficiency.  It's a violation of
federal law to operate your stove if the catalyst is
deactivated or removed.

DO check for catalyst deterioration by either
of these two methods: 1) observe the chim-
ney, both before and after the catalyst has
engaged, to determine if the catalyst has
reduced the amount of smoke, or 2) inspect
the inside of the chimney for creosote
buildup.
BECAUSE: Although there will still be some
pollution and creosote buildup from operating
catalytic stoves properly, the rates of pollution
and buildup should be much lower than in con-
ventional stoves. If the sky provides a solid light
background, you should be able to see a difference
between the pollution from a stove before and
after the catalyst is engaged.

DO remove the catalyst at
least every two years
and soak it in diluted
(50/50) vinegar for
30 minutes, followed
by two 15-minute rinses
in boiling water (unless speci-
fied otherwise by the manufacturer).
Replace the gasket after this cleaning opera-
tion. Check with your catalyst manufacturer
for more details.
BECAUSE: Vinegar will dissolve the residual
impurities that aren 't removed by dusting and
other routine maintenance.

DO use your catalyst warranty if your catalyst
fails within the first two years or crumbles
within three years of purchase.
BECAUSE: You 've paid for the right to  a properly
working catalyst in your purchase price.

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DO check all gasket material, the bypass
damper, and on cast iron stoves, the seams,
once a year; replace frayed or worn material.
Re-cement the seams as necessary. Check
the catalyst gaskets and the gasket that
seals the bypass mechanism (if your stove
has one). Hint: One way
to test the tightness of a
gasket seal  is to close the
door on a dollar bill. Pull
gently on the  dollar bill.
If it pulls easily out of place, the seal isn't
tight and the gasket should be replaced.
Repeat this test in several locations to check
the seal all around  the door.
BECAUSE: Gaskets in good condition will pro-
vide an airtight seal. A poor seal around a
catalyst bypass allows smoke to pass through
unburned, thereby increasing pollution.  Like
gaskets, the bypass damper and seams are
areas where  leaks can develop.

DO check the wood-loading door and the ash
drawer for tightness.
BECAUSE: These two  areas are subject to warp
or worn gaskets. Poor fit may result in over-
heating or may allow smoke to escape into the
room.

DO make  sure the thermostat (if your stove
is equipped with one) is working properly;
replace as necessary. Refer to parts list in
your owner's manual.
BECAUSE: A broken thermostat can prevent air
inlets and dampers from opening and closing
properly.

DO check the flue twice a month and have it
cleaned at least once a year. After cleaning,
check the seals and retighten joints in the
flue and  to the stove.
BECAUSE: Buildup of creosote on the flue walls
can re-ignite and cause fires.  Tight seals and
joints prevent leaks.

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Q DO replace firebrick and other insulating
    materials when you see crumbling or if
    pieces are missing.
    BECAUSE: These insulating materials are
    critical to your stove's heating efficiency and
    pollution-reduction properties.

What You Should NOT DO

  J DO NOT remove or tamper with the preset
    operating or temperature controls.
    BECAUSE: It's against the law, it will void your
    stove's warranty, and it will create a safety
    hazard.  The stove will be less efficient and
    more expensive to operate. Thermostats control
    either primary or secondary air, or both.
    Tampering may ruin the precisely designed
    secondary combustion capabilities, resulting in
    lower efficiencies, higher operating costs, and
    greater pollution.

Q DO NOT abuse your catalyst. Don't drop or
    scrape the catalyst, remove the metal band
    (if your model has one), or use high-pressure
    air to clean. Don't clean the catalyst with
    water when it is hot and in the stove.
    BECAUSE: Catalysts can be damaged,  thereby
    reducing their effectiveness.

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