Good Tidings

PASSIONATE TEAM WORK = STAYING POWER

As we look back over this economically challenging year, we are both relieved and pleased to find our Morso USA & North America glass quite full of good tidings that strengthen and empower the Morso brand and our extended network of retail hearth dealers.

To start, we have recently expanded our US family with the addition of sales representatives Rodger and Joe Holland from Holland & Hearth. This highly motivated father and son team cover Iowa, Wisconsin, the upper peninsula of Michigan, Minnesota, as well as North and South Dakota. What's more, six new dealers have joined the fold! Please join us in welcoming the following dealerships: Method Homes, Seattle WA, Patio and Hearth Co, Albuquerque NM, Rich's Portable Cabins, North Powder OR, Mountain Home Stove & Fireplace, Steamboat Springs CO, Abb Stove LLC, Salem OR, and American Home Fireplace & Patio, West Salem WI.

Another impressive accomplishment this year is the success of our Danish Dealer Trip. In August, thirty high-achieving dealers and sales representatives traveled to the Isle of Mors to experience what sets Morso apart - high quality standards, responsible green manufacturing practices, and dedicated craftspeople.

Last but not least, a recent HPBA hearth industry report revealed that unlike other wood stove manufacturers, Morso is holding strong and bucking a downward sales trend. This staying power can be attributed to many passionate people:

 Craftspeople in Denmark who build our high-performance cast iron Morso Energy Efficient Wood stoves.

 Dedicated dealers and sales representatives who bring Morso wood stoves to large and small communities all across the USA and in Canada.

 Our first-class TN-based customer service and management team.

 Loyal Morso wood stove owners who recommend Morso wood stoves to friends, family and clients, who blog about their warm experience, and share Morso wood stove tips via social media.

We are very grateful that our Danish-designed energy efficient wood stoves continue to be warmly received and look forward to continued success in 2012.

Happy New Year!

Hold the Key to Eco-Wise Wood Stove Efficiency

What’s nice about a wood stove is that you can burn many kinds of naturally cut wood to take advantage of your local resources. However, your preferred wood choice must be not be too green, it has to be dry enough to be deemed well-seasoned, with a moisture content of 16-20%. To be precise you may want to purchase a digital moisture meter.

The key to wood burning success is planning. Before you strike a match, learn how to maximize heat output in an environmentally-friendly manner by watching this easy-to-follow wood quality educational video.

You should also schedule your wood delivery in advance to dry out during the warm summer months. If you are collecting fallen limbs and branches from your property, move them to a dry well ventilated location. Look up the required log length and size in your user manual before cutting, and split to a thickness of no more than 4”.

Be sure to stack and store your wood under a cover in an airy place for 9-18 months. Soft woods may actually take as little as one good hot summer to properly season, whereas harder woods, such as oak and maple, take longer.

Never, ever burn waste materials such as cardboard packaging, glossy magazines, or waste wood that has been painted or treated in some way. These wood by-products are likely to contain chemicals that are harmful.

All five Morsø educational videos are conveniently available on YouTube or Facebook.

Green Wise Bloggers Warm to Morso 7110

[photo caption: Amy and Monty with their dog Jake in front of their radiant 7110 cast iron wood stove ]

This blog was written by new Morso 7110 owners Amy and Monty who gave us permission to publish their Metro to Mountain Journal review and emailed us a kind note "we love the stove."

Morso Stove
The Heat is On

Over the past few years, we have been dedicated to keeping our winter thermostat setting at sixty degrees. Now, that doesn't sound like it's very cool, but our friends who visit us know that they need to bring a jacket!
Well, no longer! This year for Thanksgiving we will be able to eat sans down jacket! We have our Morso Stove installed and heating the house.

A few years back we stopped by (n)habit's booth at Earth Day. They were a Morso dealer and displayed brochures on the Morso company. Earth Day was in the spring but we still remembered how cold the house felt. Amy led the research into the company. She wanted to buy from a green company and wanted a low emissions stove.

This fall we visited the (n)habit store and met Rachel and Edward. They led us through the stove buying process. After we had decided on the Morso company, we had to decide what type and style of stove to buy and then who was going to install it.

After pestering Rachel and Edward for a few weeks, we finally decided on the Morso 7110, a radiant stove that "offers Scandinavian Design with an American Twist!"

The installation was not quite that easy. The person Rachel and Edward originally recommended was injured and not taking any jobs. Edward searched and found Sweeps and Ladders for us. Tommy Nelms of Sweeps and Ladders is a fireman who does chimney work on the side. He came out and looked at the stove and chimney and gave us a reasonable and fair bid.

Patiently, we waited for the installation day. Then, there was heat! The installation was flawless and soon the living room was warm. Yes, we are happy.

Wednesdays are normally the Metro to Mountain gear review day. We don't really classify our new Morso Stove as gear but we thought it would interest some.

So, a few Morso Stove notes ...

* The Morso site had videos that answered many of our questions.
* We harvest our own wood. Our primary source is dead limbs or trees from the neighborhood.
* We enjoy the cutting and splitting process. It is a lot of work but the activity is healthy for us.
* Our stove fits perfectly on our hearth and perfectly framed by the fireplace opening.
* The stove uses only a small fraction of the wood that we used to burn in the fireplace.
* The ash pan makes it easy to clean the ashes from the stove.
It took us a couple of fires before we learned how to best build a starter fire.
* We have had to make adjustments on the cut size of the wood.
* We also bought the glass hearth plate to protect the floor in front of the stove, we love it!

Our thermostat is still set at 60 degrees. However, when we are using the stove, the temperature rises to the 70's.

A concern is that the kitchen and bathrooms (places with pipes) might need warming - the rooms are not close to the stove. We are monitoring the temperatures in those rooms.

Edward and Rachel from (n)habit were great to work with and offered us a lot of advice.

We were also very happy with Tommy and Beka from Sweeps and Ladders. We already have an inspection and cleaning scheduled for next fall.

Oh, and if you listen closely you might hear a round of cheers from our family and friends for finally buying a Morso Stove! The heat is on.

Happy Morso Stove trails

It's Now EASIER to Find Nearest Dealer

If you haven’t visited Morsona.com lately, then you may not know about the newest “Where to Buy!” dealer lookup that uses sophisticated zip-code search programming. This new dealer locator feature is supported by sophisticated web software that gives you access to the nearest dealer to your location so that you can evaluate your favorite Morso cast iron wood stove up close and in person.

Live in an area without a dealer within a 75 mile driving distance? Morso has also incorporated an online shopping option just for you. After reviewing the large choose of wood stove sizes, models, and designs you can order direct from Morsona.com and have your new wood stove delivered right to your door.

While visiting one of the many authorized Morso wood stove dealers across the USA and Canada to buy your new or replacement wood stove is ideal, all USA homeowners, even in states without authorized Morso dealers, can now buy a new Morso wood stove with 10-year warranty against casting and production defects.

Unlike home accessories that you often times buy impulsively to refresh and accent your home decor, a wood stove purchase is a long term investment that requires research, comparison, and how-to instructions. Understanding this learning curve, Morso frequently enriches Morsona.com with new content, such as educational videos, good advice, digital brochures, product manuals, and even an interactive photo tool that allows you to see a wood stove in your home.


We invite you to visit Morsona.com today.

Vermont Dealer Earns Return Trip to Morso DK Factory

Photo caption: Ray & Susan Plagge, owners of Montpelier Stove and Flag Works in Montpelier and Williston, VT, look on as a Morso DK employee demonstrates handcrafted wood stove construction.

Ray and Sue Plagge eagerly embarked on the Denmark dealer trip journey to, once again, partake in the ultimate hearth education adventure and fabulous Morso DK hospitality.

As returning guests, it seems that these Montpelier Stove & Flag owners have mastered the art of selling Morsø wood stoves, however this was not always the case.

As Ray recalls, they were at first reluctant to even carry the Morso line in their Montpelier and Williston retail stores because many of the stoves did not burn the standard 16” log. However, in time the persistent reps at Hearthlink hammered home the Morso benefits and now Montpelier Stove & Flag displays at least 9 different Morsø wood stoves and have achieved high enough sales levels to earn several Morso Denmark incentive trips.

While one might think the cold and woodsy green mountian location would make it easier to sell a Morso wood stove, Ray describes a more difficult sales environment that requires a patient sales approach, education, good consistent service, and great retail locations.

“In a cold state like Vermont where homeowners are acustomed to large wood stoves, we have to re-educate our customers so the discussion is not about the log size but the right stove for their particular situation”, explains Ray. “While many folks still want a large traditional stove that uses larger logs, we also serve plenty of bed and breakfast customers and home owners who recognize Morsø and like the selection.”

When asked what sets Montpelier Stove & Flag Works apart from other Vermont hearth dealerships, Ray confidentially states that his full-service Montpelier Stove & Flag Works store has been around since 1976 and good service gets noticed.

To learn more about Montpelier Stove & Flag Works vist www.stoveandflagworks.com

2011 Morso Dealer Trip: Ultimate Hearth Education Adventure

On August 28th, 30 US and Canadian dealers, manufacturer representatives, and guests traveled to Denmark for an event-packed Danish Dealer Week excursion. Morsø has sponsored this Dealer Week promotion every couple of years as a sales incentive. It is also the ultimate hearth education adventure.

In past years, many dealer trip participants reported higher Morsø sales after returning from Denmark because the trip sparked passion and loyalty. Meeting the craftspeople and seeing the assembly process helps the dealers to better communicate the unique Morsø wood stove qualities - construction methods, skilled craftsmen, high efficiency standards, and wide-range of stove designs.

This year’s Dealer trip highlights included: three days in Copenhagen visiting Royal Palace (changing of the guard), Rosenburg Castle and enjoying a leisurely canal tour, followed by three eventful days on the beautiful Isle of Mors taking part in a factory tour, working on the production line, touring the island, and concluding with a fun company-wide Morsø summer party.

Pictured in the photo above are: Front Row L to R : Bo & Dawn Hilliard (Biltmore Stove, NC), Steve Vorhees & Melyssa Cowles (Santa Cruz Stoves, CA), Jacquie Shankster (Morso US) Lone Bak Atterman (Morso DK), Susan & Ray Plagge (Montpelier Stoves, VT). Brent Boucher (Hearth & Home Calgary, AB), Beth Urban (Rich's for the Home, WA). 2nd Row L to R : Desiree Sirois & Jeramiah Graham (Evergreen Home & Hearth, ME), Bob & Kandie Diskin (Viking Sewing & Spa, OR) Brian Richards & Margaret Lui (Canned Heat distributor, Canada) Keith & Linda Perriman (Northeat, AK), Ernest & Debra Bingham (Great American Chimney Fireplace Folks, WI), Sherry & Vince Woods (Homestead Stove Co, OR) Bob & Paula Williamson (American Chimney Sweeps, VT), John Sullivan (Energy Unlimited, MA), Adam King (Hearthlink Int, Distributor, NE), Troy Smith (Rich's for the home, WA) 3rd Row, R to L; Michael Henning (Complete Heat, NH), Bill Murphy (Ashleigh's Hearth & Home, NY), Roy Matthews (Complete Heat, NH), Craig Shankster (Morsø US)

To contact a near near you, use the easy dealer locator at Morsona.com

NY Times Features Clever Cube House Heated by Morso 6148 Freestanding Wood Stove

Photo Caption: Home Designers Yumiko Foust Virant and Tom Virant with sons Wil and Andy

When it comes to good news the saying goes “it travels fast”. In our case, great news also travels long distances as a Morso friend in Denmark caught a glimpse of our Morso 6148 wood stove when reading the July 20th New York Times and sent us the Home & Garden feature - A House Built on Trust http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/garden/in-virginia-a-house-built-on-trust-on-location.html -written by Karrie Jacobs.

In Jacob’s home design article she describes the vision, architecture and construction of a sweet Charlottesville, Virginia cube house owned by Alison Threatt. Completed last summer, the house was designed and built by Tom Virant at Virant Design Inc and his Architect wife Yumiko Foust Virant at Virant Architecture Inc.

While just seeing our 6148 wood stove stand tall in this clever designer cube house was certainly a source of pride, we were still curious to learn how this highly skilled design team decided that a freestanding Morso cast iron wood stove was the best choice.

Fortunately, Asheville, North Carolina- based General Contractor Tom Virant took time between new construction projects to graciously answer our questions:

What prompted you to include a wood stove in this house? Our good friend and client Alison Threatt spent time in Canada and knew she wanted a wood stove in her home. In addition, I personally use a wood stove and recommend them to other clients who appreciate fire as a design element and want energy efficient heating.

Why did you choose a Morso wood stove? Honestly, we evaluated several different wood stove brands and found that Morso was highly recommended and had a wide chose of small freestanding wood stove models within our price range.

Is the Morso 6148 used for supplemental heating in the Charlottesville house? It is actually the primary heating system for this open, two-story home with 1,000 square feet living space. Radiant floor heating on the first level and a mini split ductless air/heat system with heat recirculation fan supplement the stove to keep the entire house warm in the most energy efficient and sustainable way.

To learn more about Virant Design visit http://virantdesign.com/home.html

Historical Foundation Give Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stoves Strength

The history of Morsø Jernstøberi dates all the way back to 1853, when business graduate, N. A. Christensen, started his own iron foundry on the Limfjord island of Mors in Denmark. In the first few years, the small handful of employees manufactured everything from barn windows and memorial crosses to cooking stoves, pots and pans.

However, N. A. Christensen wasn’t your typical business man. With his well-honed talent for good business and his many creative and forward-thinking ideas, he succeeded in turning Morso into a leading cast iron foundry. Towards the close of the century, Morso cast goods were well-known, especially the popular solid fuel wood stoves and wood burning cooking stoves which had now become the company’s most important product.

Royal warmth
At the turn of the 20th century, Morso began supplying wood burning heating systems to churches, schools and a number of public buildings, including the state railways and various ministries. And at the start of the 1900s, the popular imperial-style wood stoves found their way into the royal apartments at Amalienborg. In 1915, various wood stoves had already been supplied to the palaces at Amalienborg and to several other royal residences, and the company was therefore bestowed the prestigious title of Purveyor to His Majesty the King by King Christian X. Later, in 1969, the title was changed to By Appointments to the Royal Danish Court.

Always in front
When central heating and, therefore, radiators pushed solid fuel stove was out of fashion. Morso - once again- showed that it had its finger on the pulse, when the revolutionary open fireplace stove, the 1122, was launched. In so doing, Morsø opened up a completely new market and a completely new way of making life warmer, in two senses of the word.

Step by step, Morsø has led the way in wood stove design innovation and new ways of combining form and function; efficiency with beauty and comfort – and also in recent years with environmental awareness and respect. Today, Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stoves exports a wide choice of high performing wood stoves to 25 countries, irrespective of the climate – from northern Scandinavia to South Africa, from the USA and Canada to Australia and Japan.

Hearth & Home of Ithaca

Photo caption: Here are a few of the Hearth & Home of Ithaca pros (left to right) Matt Slowey, Jay Felli, Julie Langenbacher, Jeff Loik and Al Gillis.

The blazing hot mid-summer heat does nothing to slow down the buzz at Hearth & Home of Ithaca. With only five years of ownership under his belt, owner Jay Felli has focused his abundant entrepreneurial energy to position this 30- year old full service chimney and hearth establishment as a leading Morso wood stove dealer in upstate New York.

Jay says, "When I purchased this business there was one or two Morso units scattered in the store. That was before our home design consultant Julie developed a passion for the Morsø  line and we now have a dozen units on display."

Schooled in architectural design, Jay has a good understanding of home design trends and has assembled a dream team of factory-trained technicians to provide installation, maintenance, chimney cleaning and repair, including complete construction of masonry and metal chimneys. Sean Rice , Tim Reynolds, Charlie Fish and Bill Hewes handle any issues in the field. Al Gillis supports the entire staff with his vast knowledge of stoves, fireplaces and the various parts.  He also has a unique knack for finding what is needed to maintain stoves that are long since out of manufacturing. 

Hearth & Home of Ithaca’s sales force is also highly qualified. Julie Langenbacher brings interior design to the table and spends quality time with customers designing their hearth. Matt Slowey has the environmental science knowledge and pays particular attention to developments in fuels and efficiency.

Being in top form is especially important in Ithaca, home to Cornell University, an Ivy League school of over 20,000 students, and Ithaca College. This academic hub houses highly-educate consumers who do their homework and want the best products, services, and buying experience. To edge out the competition, Felli and his team need to bring on their “A” game every day, year round.

To keep things fresh the Hearth & Home of Ithaca team are presently working on new first floor displays, organizing summer cooking classes and a Fall open house scheduled for the last weekend in September, and constructing a class-A chimney to vent a soon-to-be installed Monica Ritterband 7644 wood stove. That’s in addition to a fully booked schedule of summer installations, chimney cleaning and repair appointments.

Fortunately, the days are long this time of year so that Felli can whittle down his to-do list to enjoy a second well-earned Morso Dealer Denmark trip come August.

You can always visit Hearth & Home of Ithaca online http://www.hearthhome.com/ or stop by their store on 726 West Court Street, Ithaca, NY 14850-3296.

Today is a Good Day to Start Your Wood Stove Checklist

About now jumping into a cool lake, stream, or foaming surf is more likely to be top of mind, than ones chore list. Nonetheless, there are certain home improvement tasks that can be accomplished in a breeze.

First, if you own a wood stove and have not yet had your stove professionally cleaned, call your local hearth dealer or chimney cleaning company to schedule this important wood stove maintenance appointment today. Also, take stock of your wood pile. Do you have enough dry wood fuel to last the 2011—2012 cold season? If not, order soon to avoid waits come the chill.

Also, if you really want to sit back for a while, consider watching one or more of the five online Morsø educational videos that are available at http://www.morsona.com , or YouTube. These videos are intended to encourage new or long-time wood stove owners to fully realize the renewable benefits of local wood energy in a responsible environmentally respectful manner, without beginner missteps or old-school methods.

Ø Choosing The Right Stove For Your Home.
Ø Installing Your Stove Correctly
Ø Wood & Storage
Ø Operating Your Stove Correctly.
Ø Stove Maintenance

Lastly and most importantly, we want to thank you for reading this Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stove blog. Please visit often and pass along the information you find valuable.

Versatile 3610 a North American Favorite

A beautifully designed stove with clean lines, the Morsø 3610 wood stove was developed specifically for the North American market. The largest wood stove in the Morsø collection, the 3610 puts out 60,000 Btu and heats areas up to 2,400 sq ft.

The Morsø 3610 radiant wood stove is ideal for rooms with cathedral ceilings that require a radiant heater for effective and efficient heating. In addition, this stove’s large double doors make it perfect for heating large rooms.

Installation is versatile with a reversible 6” flue collar, standard rear and bottom heat shields, and an optional outside air kit.

For additional flexibility, wood can be loaded into a Morsø 3610 wood stove from the front doors or through the easy-access side door. The large firebox accepts up to 24” logs and a specifically designed air channel helps burn the fuel as completely and efficiently as possible. The Morsø 3610 wood stove has two ash pans for convenient ash removal without manually shoveling out the ashes from the firebox.

To see Morso 3610 wood stove technical and installation details click here

Wood Stove Legacy Burns Clean at Tierra Wood Stoves in Taos, New Mexico

Located in the historic Southwest art colony of Taos, New Mexico, Tierra Wood Stoves sustains an uncompromising 30-year journey to sell the best - clean burning –stoves available.

When discussing stoves with founder and long-time operator Bob Bishop, you have no doubt that this hearth industry maverick has walked the walk and scoured the globe for the very best stoves. Accompanied by his son Jonah and sales extraordinaire Della, Tierra Wood Stoves has ridden the retail hearth store peaks and valleys with precision and keen determination.

Positioned at elevation: 6,952 ft, the town of Taos - pronounced taus - is located near the Native American Taos Pueblo village where burning abundant local wood dates back 800 years. Unlike other regions where hearth dealers need to sell the benefits of wood stove energy, customers seek out Tierra Wood Stoves because they want the very best wood stove.

While Tierra Wood Stoves sells many different products and brands, they have chosen to burn the Morso 3610 and display 10-12 Morsø wood stoves to demonstrate the wide range of Morsø stove sizes and styles.

You can visit Tierra Wood Stoves at 1519 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur
Taos, NM 87571or telephone 575-758-9880.

Morso Wood Stoves Carries Forward Quality, Efficiency and Design for over 157 Years

Morso Wood Stoves Carries Forward Quality, Efficiency and Design for over 157 Years

Morso has a long and regal history of providing warmth, style and comfort for people all around the world. No matter the size of the room or design preference, whether it is traditional, classic or contemporary, there is a cast-iron wood stove or fireplace insert right for every home.

The secret to our success is that Morso’s products not only provide charm, they are also energy efficient. So not only can homeowners improve the decor of their home by installing a Morso stove or fireplace insert, they reduce fossil fuel use by using local sustainable wood energy.

Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stoves is the only Danish stove manufacturer that offers a 10-year warranty against casting and production defects. They also guarantee spare parts for a model for at least 10 years after a model is discontinued.

In addition, Morso wood stoves have the highest possible efficiency standards and carry the Nordic Swan Eco-label, which rewards only those companies that are actively reducing their “environmental footprint.” All Morso U.S. wood stoves and fireplace inserts are qualified for the IRS consumer tax credit that requires at least 75%-efficiency.

Our wood burning stoves and fireplace inserts are also considered a renewable energy source accepted by green living and sustainable building advocates. To see a Morso in your home upload a photo to http://www.morsoe.com/Default.aspx?ID=1726

Green Store Owner Cozies Up to Energy Efficient Morso 3112 Wood Heat

Photo Caption: Jennifer Casale relied on her Morso 3112 wood stove last winter after a spring flood sidelined her primary heating system.

Jennifer Casale is an environmental consultant, Founder & CEO of Nashville-based retail business The Green Wagon, LLC, and a very proud owner of a Morso 3112 cast iron wood stove. Living green is a passion that she lives and shares, starting with her very own “green wagon”, a1982 station wagon that runs on waste veggie oil.

While Casale bought her 3112 wood stove for the obvious environmental reasons, she didn’t intend it as a primary heating source. However, nature intervened in the spring of 2010 when a flood completely destroyed the AC/heating ductwork in her farmhouse.

“When I bought the Morso wood stove, I had no idea how much I would have to depend on it the next winter,” explains Casale. “As my only source of heat, my Morso 3112 stove kept me warm all winter! I'm in love!”

Casale point out that while she has chosen to fully immerse herself into the environmentally-caring green living lifestyle which includes heating my home with a Morso wood stove and driving a car that smells like French fries, everyone can take incremental steps to improve the environment such as shopping at local greens stores and reducing their fossil fuel use by using an energy efficient wood stove that burns local seasoned wood.

About The Green Wagon:
Described as a green general store, The Green Wagon in East Nashville stocks only environmentally-friendly products. About 70% of what the brick & mortar store carries is made in Tennessee. Buying local green products not only supports local producers, but also reduces the carbon footprint of the products.

In addition, all of The Green Wagon products will soon be available online. Once opened the online shop – http://thegreenwagon.com/ - will be send online orders directly from the producer to the customer, cutting out any unnecessary shipping.

Honor Earth Day with Green Living Actions

Photo Caption:The Morso Team stands in front a modern geodesic dome exhibit that was created to demonstrate the company's “Thinking Green” mission.

Forty-one years after the very first April 22nd Earth Day, environmental concerns continue to surface while at the same time conservation initiatives that support recycling, renewable energy, and sustainable living have gained worldwide acceptance.

While it now seems easy to embrace household recycling because in many cities and towns collection is now nearby or even at the curb, other green action such as renewable alternative energy solutions are slowly gaining traction as homeowners are more willingly investing in energy efficient home improvement projects that will save money over time.

This wise big picture approach to conservation and sustainable living practices is shared by Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stoves. Long ago, we made a decision to always consider the environment and continually challenge ourselves to innovate environmentally-responsible combustion technology and handcrafted high-quality cast iron products, using 98% recycled material.

Today, in honor of Earth Day, we challenge you to come up with your own Green Action Check List so that we are all working together to protect our Mother Earth.

Below is our Green Action Check List:

• Energy Conservation: Morsø has successfully maintained energy consumption at the same level for many years, even though stove production has experienced significant growth.
• Utilize Recycled Materials: Morsø’s manufactures high-quality cast iron products using 98% recycled material. Just think, your new Morso wood stove might have once been a bicycle, or a lamp post.
• Use Renewable Energy: At Morsø’s Denmark production facility 80 % of the energy consumed comes from renewable sources, such as wind and Bio gas. In addition, the Morsø US headquarters in Portland, Tennessee is powered by 100% renewable energy, including bio fuel and wind, per agreement with their local energy supplier.
• Minimized Environmental Impact: For the last 8-10 years, Morsø stoves have gone through major engineering advances concerning the combustion chambers to burn more completely with low emissions. Today 90% of our US imported stoves are approved by the strict Washington State regulations, in addition to EPA.
• Generate Renewable Energy: Researchers estimate that, in total, wood may produce between three times and 10 times fewer greenhouse gas emissions per unit of heat than other energy sources. When the use of sustainably-harvested, properly processed and seasoned wood for energy displaces the use of fossil fuels, the result is a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Dynamic New Ownership Rejuvenates Portland, Oregon Dealership

Photo: Sherry Woods owner of Homestead Stove Company

Homestead Stove Company [www.homesteadstove.com] in Portland, Oregon has been selling beautiful heat since 1977, and is now in the midst of exciting changes. Coming off a banner 2010 sales year, this thriving wood stove and English fireplace business was acquired in February by Sherry Woods, a trusted employee and friend to long-time owners Carl and Gail English.

With a passion to carry on the beautiful heat mission that makes customers feel good and equipped with 20 years retail hearth experience, Woods is ready to take this flourishing business to the next level.

Understanding that 95% of her new customer-base has researched wood stoves on the internet, Woods has set the wheels in motion for a website upgrade and social media presence. While her virtual store gets remodeled the retail location is chock full of Morso wood stoves so that these web savvy explorers can see, touch and compare. Woods explains, “We display practically every Morso wood stove available to give our customers face-time with a wide choice of stove sizes and styles”.

A definite advantage of doing business in one of the nation’s greenest cities is that her customers highly value energy conservation and as a result Morso wood stoves and fireplace inserts are top sellers. “Many of my customers are looking for a small stove to fit into 100 year old historic homes or to supplement the primary furnace with wood zone heating”, notes Woods. “The Morso 1410 and 1440 squirrel stoves are very popular here, along with the 6100-series stoves.”

Since taking the helm, after working at Homestead Stove Company for three years, Woods is charting an ambitious course that includes reaching out to the areas business community through membership in civic organizations and networking activities, in addition to jumping into the online social media mix with a Facebook page and likely a blog. Woods also plans to promote her business and products at fairs and home improvement events.

We congratulate and welcome Sherry Woods to our extended Morso dealer family, and look forward to continuing success at the Homestead Stove Company.

Tax Credit Extension Gives an Extra Green $$ Incentive to Purchase a New Morso Wood Stove

With our US wood stove and fireplace insert models qualified for the IRS consumer tax credit, Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stoves, along with our large network of authorized dealers, certainly welcome the Federal Bio-Mass Tax Credit extension that provides a 10% tax credit up to $300 for the purchase of a new biomass heating appliance in 2011.

This tax credit extension was part of the $858 billion tax package that President Obama signed into law on Friday, December 17. By extending this tax credit, Congress signaled its support of the renewable fuel industry.

The 2011 Federal Bio-Mass Tax Credit now includes a 10% consumer tax credit (up to $300) for the purchase of 75%-efficient bio-mass burning stoves (i.e. energy efficient Morso wood stoves or fireplace inserts).

To qualify for the tax credit the following criteria needs to be met:

• The credit is for biomass heating appliances, including wood stoves, pellet stoves, pellet inserts, and wood-burning fireplace inserts.
• The appliance must be installed in an existing primary residence, not a new house or rental property.
• The stove or insert must have a minimum efficiency rating of 75% as certified by the manufacturer. All US Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stove models qualify.
• The appliance must be an EPA approved biomass stove. All Morso wood stoves are approved by the EPA.

While this Tax Credit can be applied to the purchase of a wood stove or fireplace insert, installation costs are no longer allowed. It is recommended that homeowners keep the manufacturer’s certificate and invoice from the installer to give to their accountant and keep for their records.

Fluctuating Heating Oil Costs Propel Wood Stove Zone Heating

Europeans have traditionally used two or three home heating sources, while Americans opted for a single source heat. In response to renewed interest in sustainable energy, energy-efficiency tax incentives, and concerns related to increasing home heating oil costs, growing numbers of US and Canadian homeowners are adding high performance zone heating wood stoves to their primary and secondary homes.

This warming home-design trend can be seen in leading shelter and lifestyle magazine features with glowing Morso wood stoves - which are designed specifically as a secondary zone heating source to heat 800 to 1,400 ft” areas- photographed in historic farmhouses, modern seaside escapes, and cozy family homes across the nation and world.

No doubt, where one lives or retreats significantly influences the size and model of their stove or fireplace insert. Heating a 1000sq ft space in Maine is very different than heating a similar area in Texas or Georgia. Nevertheless, the house warming improvements and saving are what count. Wood stove owners who have selected a stove for zone heating, typically realize an energy cost savings of 20 -30%.

To determine the energy savings a hearth product can provide use the HPBA fuel efficiency calculator- click here

Morso 5660 Fireplace Inserts Deliver Real Warmth with Beauty

The hearth makeover trend is in full force with new and long-time homeowners looking to optimize the heat potential of their fireplace without losing the naturally beautiful view of the flames. As a result, dealers nationwide are reporting that the Morso 5660 fireplace insert has become a very popular – in-demand- wood stove option for homeowners looking to update their inefficient open fireplaces or replace an out-dated wood stove with an advanced energy efficient wood stove fireplace insert.

Rustic yet elegant, this mighty wood-burning fireplace can heat an area up to 2000 square feet. House-warming features include a convection system which ensures optimum heat distribution in the room, large combustion chamber that can take logs of up to 20”, and an outer ribbed to increase its surface area thereby increasing the effectiveness of natural hot convection.

Also, to avoid leaving homes without built-in fireplaces out in the cold, Morso offers the Morso Zero-Clearance Enclosure. Sold separately from the 5660 fireplace inserts and requiring the installation of a class A chimney, the Morso Zero Clearance Enclosure is available in two versions and is designed, tested, and approved for use solely with the Morsø 5660 Std & 5660 NA fireplace Insert models.

Design and function dovetail seamlessly in Morso’s 5660 fireplace wood stove inserts. To learn more about these high performing wood stove fireplace inserts visit www.morsona.com

Memorable Morso Wood Stove Moments

Photo caption:
This charming picture of a Morso 3450 wood stove with natural soapstone sides was taken in the Eisler home in New Hampshire.

“THANK YOU! We purchased a Morso 3450 with the soapstone sides last fall and have used it everyday. We are heating a 2800 sq. ft. home with it. We keep the gas heat thermometer set at 55°F and it just doesn't come on. It is the center of our home, lovely to look at, wonderful to watch, and like a warm hug constantly......” Susan Eisler, New Hampshire

As you can see from the warm note above, a Morso wood stove shares more than just heat. Like Susan, many Morso stove owners find themselves describing their favorite cast-iron stove like a good friend, a trusted source of comfort that is loved for its sound, look, and warmth.

There are also specific features that attract and inspire Morso owners. For some it’s the original design, others like the wood stove’s green-friendly impact and the fact that they are created from 98% recycled cast iron. However, with out a doubt, most owners love to talk about the efficiency and heat output of their Morso cast-iron wood stove and the pleasurable experience that it brings to their home, cottage or camp.

About the Morso 3400-series
We designed the 3400-series cast iron wood stoves together with the well-known English design company, Queensbury Hunt Levien, retaining the classic Morso lines and stylish look, while also integrating an advanced combustion system. The wide door with large stove lass provides a wonderful view of the flames, helping to create both mood and heat in the home. The stove is available with smooth convention panels or beautiful natural soapstone.

Thinking Green 2011

In this new year with glowing possibility, Morso Energy Efficient Wood Stoves will carry on its tradition to handcraft high-quality cast iron products using 98% recycled material, while also working to surpass strict environmental standards and improving efficiencies with conservation-driven actions.

Thinking Green MISSION
With everything we do- from manufacture to delivery- we consider
our environment and new ways in which we can further
carry out recycling, conservation, and sustainable practices.