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He should have checked out the whole system and especially the chimney by a certified sweep. If the rest of the pipe looks like the first two feet I would seriously question that it is can still withstand a chimney fire nor that it has been installed properly to begin with.
I agree with the advice given by the other posters, but to answer your original question: yes. It cannot, however, burn cleanly or efficiently (and as a result, possibly not very safely) without the cat. It becomes just another old metal box with dirty fire in it, also known as a "smoke dragon" around here.
How was it inspected?
What does it look like inside? Especially the joints. Just because it looks good on the outside doesn't mean muchJust by me, the outside pipe looks brand new compared to the inside pipe that the landlord put heat tape on.
Does "smoke dragon" pertain to all other stoves that do not have cat combustion?
Pretty much any stove can be burn that wayTo my mind, any stove that can be made to smolder and become a creosote factory could be called a smoke dragon.
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