Catalytic or Non-catalytic?

Yeah I'm not going to bore you all with the witch stove is best question, that's like asking which chainsaw is best, I get it.

So far I'm still deciding which brand to go with and what'savailable locally, which is limited. What I'm wondering is how much of a nuisance are the catalytic stoves? What I mean by that is I keep reading that you have to keep the stove in the right heat range and the Catalyst break down eventually and get clogged up. I'm definitely leaning towards a non catalytic stove at this point. So far I'm looking at Lopi, jotul and Buck. I looked at a couple of the Ashley stoves but they look poorly constructed.

Total house square footage is right around 4,000, but the main room it will heat is about 350 but more than half of the heat does make it's way to the entryway and main center of the house.

Any and all input is welcomed.

 

I personally like the newer cat stoves if I was in the market for a new stove.

Heating 4,000 sq ft might be a challenge depending on your comfort expectations. Be sure to consider floor plan layout, ceiling height etc and stick with the major brands and you’ll likely be satisfied

 

I'm going to buy a freestanding stove, so would I still have to take the baffle out?

 

Cat clogging depends on design and draft.
A poor design will clog the cat with flyash. Good design with too much draft too.

If you have an abused cat or an old cat it will stop working at some point, and then it'll clog up. But you should get a new cat before that anyway.

I like my cat stove. I don't think it's very different from a tube stove where you also have to get the fire going and then dial back into secondary burn mode for best heat and efficiency.
My cat stove works the same: char the load and dial back. (And the walk away for 10-36 hrs depending on my need for heat, courtesy of the mechanical thermostat on the thing.)

Yes, you do need to pay attention that it lights off, same as paying attention that you don't dial back too soon on a tube stove.

The only difference is that if you make a mistake (and do that often), you can damage the cat.
And you have to replace it every 12,000 hours or so. I believe mine was $250.

If that doesn't sound good to you, get a solid tube stove - goal is that you are satisfied. Running a stove you don't like to run sucks....

 

Im also in the market for a new stove but Ill be doing my purchase next year and will continue running my Pacific Energy super 27 until then. Ive been happy with my choice as its a long burning stove that heats the house great. The issue I find with a non cat stove is the heat is more peaks and valleys with temperature where I would like to try for more even heat. I think Im pretty much sold on a blaze king which Im told excels at lower temperature heat output when its a bit milder out but also can kick it into high heat output when the need for it arises. Ive never had a cat stove before but they intrigue me. Theres a lot of fun researching which stove to buy, enjoy the ride!

 

I've had each of the stoves. It would be hard to get anything but a cat stove now. The heat is so even and the burns times are longer.

We have been very happy with the woodstock soapstone Ideal Steel. I would consider a blaze king as well.

 

Andyshine77 how far ahead are you on your supply of firewood? I mean, how long (in years) has your firewood been drying?

At least three years seems to be the magic number.....

Do you have that room? It requires a fair amount of yard space to be dedicated to wood piles.

 

With 4000 sq ft I’d be looking at wood furnace or two wood stoves.

 

I suppose house style and stove location would be part of the decision process.

 

From lopi's website, it looks like the liberty is the only non hybrid they offer now. Your house is certainly big enough for a liberty. If I were leaning that way, I'd buy one soon just in case they switch it to a hybrid in the near future... if no cat is a priority.

 

Ok I'll try and answer some of your questions. Before that I just like to thank you all again, lots of good useful input.

This stove is my secondary heat source. However because the stove is on the bottom floor much of the heat rises and it heats most of the large main areas of the home. Just maybe some of the outer rooms don't get that much heat but fans help. The house is well insulated. The other main source of heat when I don't burn wood is a natural gas furnace.

I have ample room for wood storage. Right now I have enough dry wood for this season. And what's not ready will be ready by the following year. That would will be about 2.5 years drying by that point and equals out to about 10 cord. For me that's like 4 years worth, possibly more with a new stove. 2.5 years will be enough, it's been extraordinarily dry this year in Southwest Ohio. We normally have relative humidity in the summer up in the 60% 70% range, today it's 25% and it's been like that all summer.

two rows deep and I have more than enough for a third row now.

 

Ok. So today I went out and looked at some stoves. I found a really great place. They carry Jotul, HearthStone, Lopi, Buck and Regency.

I really liked the Jotul F500 V3 OSLO. The side load is nice too. I've already been changing my mind on the cat stoves as well.

 

This HearthStone sure is pretty.

 

We've only had a side loader. Works for us!

We've also only had a cat stove. Also works for us. 4 corner screws holds the stove top in place. Cat is under the top. I just put a new one in. $250. It gets replaced every 3-4 yrs.

 

Shoot i didn't know they cost that much. I thought in the $50 - $75 range.

 

Was $120 3 yrs ago. From Condar.

 

That's more like it! Ahh yes what things "use" to cost.....