Cat Users Question

[bsearcey]

This is my first season with a woodstove. I have an Consolidated Dutchwest Federal Airtight 224 (FA224). I've been burning it for about a month now and it is awesome. I can easily heat my entire house (1800 sq ft) with it. My question is about engaging/disengaging the cat. If I engage the cat in the morning (like I did this morning before leaving @ 7:30) is it potentially bad for the cat to leave it engaged all day before I get home (about 5:30)? I would not think so since the cat is at operating temp when engaged and it should continue to operate as it is buring off the smoke. After the wood is reduced to coals there is even less smoke coming off of it so the cat may or may not disengage on it's on, but if it does, do you think that there are enough particles left in the coal smoke to cause the cat to get clogged/degraded? Hopefully my question will makes sense. Thanks for the help.

 

[Slow1]

From what I have read (it is covered in my manual even) it is fine to just leave the cat engaged until end of burn cycle / cold stove. OR until you reload. Basically it will keep burning smoke until there isn't enough to burn then it doesn't matter any more what goes through the cat. Unless you "stir up the ashes" and cause them to fly up there and clog it up- however as long as you always disengage so the exhaust bypasses every time you open the door you will be fine.

 

[bsearcey]

Great. That's what I thought, but just wanted to see what other more experienced users had to say. I don't want to do anything that could mess up my cat. Hopefully this will put more heat into the house before the fire burns out.