Because the topical thread about Cat Stoves got to five pages in length, and because the topic of "to buy a Cat or not" is a big one in here; I figured I'd open yet another Thread for the sake of folks like me who really would like to get the facts out on the table AGAIN........
Please don't link this to "here's a Thread on the topic".........allow us to rehash this again please.
Here's a list to start from:
A) DO you have to replace your Catolytic whatchamacallit?
B) Why do we even NEED one; Just to burn less wood?
C) If so, how often do you have to replace it?
D) What does it cost to replace?
E) Can you replace it yourself or is it better done by a Pro?
F) How many seasons are you getting out of a Cat before replacement?
G) Whether you replace the Cat or not, what can you tell me about the
cleaning process?
H) Are these Cat stoves slow to heat up or not?
I) What are the main differences in how you tend a Cat stove fire, -vs-
a non-Cat stove fire?
J) Is there typically less room in a Cat stove for the wood?
K) Where does the Cat itself live, in the system?
L) Is there more/less soot & ash residual in the flue of a Cat stove? Why?
M) How much higher (assumption on my part) is the cost of a Cat stove, -vs- a non-Cat?
If you are a Cat owner, I'd appreciate some experienced responses and not guess work (non Cat owners) based on rumor.
Our stove at home is barely broken in, so I figure we'll not need another stove for perhaps 20 years, but.......that said......knowing that the technology will most likely be on a whole other level by then......I'd like to settle this in my head, once and for all.
(Interesting article on the subject: http://www.dimesoft.com/cat.htm)
-Soupy1957
Please don't link this to "here's a Thread on the topic".........allow us to rehash this again please.
Here's a list to start from:
A) DO you have to replace your Catolytic whatchamacallit?
B) Why do we even NEED one; Just to burn less wood?
C) If so, how often do you have to replace it?
D) What does it cost to replace?
E) Can you replace it yourself or is it better done by a Pro?
F) How many seasons are you getting out of a Cat before replacement?
G) Whether you replace the Cat or not, what can you tell me about the
cleaning process?
H) Are these Cat stoves slow to heat up or not?
I) What are the main differences in how you tend a Cat stove fire, -vs-
a non-Cat stove fire?
J) Is there typically less room in a Cat stove for the wood?
K) Where does the Cat itself live, in the system?
L) Is there more/less soot & ash residual in the flue of a Cat stove? Why?
M) How much higher (assumption on my part) is the cost of a Cat stove, -vs- a non-Cat?
If you are a Cat owner, I'd appreciate some experienced responses and not guess work (non Cat owners) based on rumor.
Our stove at home is barely broken in, so I figure we'll not need another stove for perhaps 20 years, but.......that said......knowing that the technology will most likely be on a whole other level by then......I'd like to settle this in my head, once and for all.
(Interesting article on the subject: http://www.dimesoft.com/cat.htm)
-Soupy1957