Extended Fireside View Illuminates Morso 8188 Wood Stove

While we think all of our antique, classic and modern wood stove designs are amazing, The Morso 8188 - pictured above as our blog showcase wood stove- offers an extra special side view of the flames. With its wide and beautifully shaped glass windows, contemporary pedestal mount, and high-quality 98% recycled cast iron form, our 8188 is an all-around home-enhancing delight.

The Morso 8188 represents an expansion of the 8100 series – with exclusive side windows. It’s easy and intuitive to use, with single-handed control for clean combustion and regulated heat output. Based on the convection principle, this wood-burning stove offers incredibly clean and efficient combustion and is an ideal wood stove choice for heating living areas of up to 1200 sq ft.

You can learn more about the 8188’s specifications and technical details at Morsona.com.

Add Your Favorite Wood Stove to Your Spring Cleaning List

[Photo caption: Look closely at your wood stove door gaskets to make sure they are still in good shape.]


Your faithful stove has kept you toasty through the winter; now is the time to schedule a chimney sweep and cleaning to perform all the routine annual maintenance.

Like a favorite automobile, your wood stove also comes with a certain amount of care to guarantee long-lasting, comforting warmth. Contract a local certified chimney sweep or Morso dealer at least once a year to have your woodstove and chimney professionally cleaned and checked. After all, with the rigors of long term use critical parts may need replacing.

Many of the maintenance checks are related to the internal ‘engine’ parts, such as the firebox liners, door gaskets, bottom grates and baffle plates. A professional inspector can make certain the stove door is air tightness, and also make cosmetic recommendations to keep your stove bright. A thorough evaluation of the ceramic glass is also necessary, as cracks or signs of log impact require immediate attention and replacement.

Finally, when the warm weather is here to stay and it’s time to give your stove a break, you should have it thoroughly cleaned. Remember to leave the primary air control fully open to allow airflow in the combustion chamber and chimney. Ventilating your stove and chimney will prevent premature corrosion caused from moisture. If you have humidity concerns, adding an absorbent substance, such as kitty litter, into the ash pan will also help absorb excess moisture. However, be sure to remove all of this substance prior to the heating season.

Also, make sure that rain water cannot come into contact with your stove. Installing a rain cap on your chimney may be helpful, as long as it does not completely block the flue.

To learn more about wood stove operation, wood storage, and maintenance watch all five Morso educational videos.

More Homes Adopt Wood heat

Data from the 2010 Census has confirmed a shift in home heating. According to an Associated Press article title -

Wood heat heats up as homeowners give boot to oil

- “Oil consumption has fallen as homeowners have found other sources of fuel, with wood being the fastest-growing alternative, according to census figures.”

The fact that energy efficient wood stoves have been gaining favor to lower home heating costs has been a quiet under-the-radar movement. With the publication of the 2010 census stats we can now see that households with primary wood heating increased 1/3 to close to 2.4 million.

This is really not surprising as many rural and suburban families have less money to spend and can no longer afford higher-than-expected heating bills. Locally-grown wood can be purchased in advance at a lower cost than oil.

Another motivator is that home-energy conservation, green building and weatherization improvements are now considered a priority. Nonetheless, let's not forget that a wood stove fire is also a really cozy and enjoyable heating experience.

Energy-Saving Game Plan: Convert Drafty Open Fireplace into Heating Zone

According to a recent Chicago Tribune article Get more from your fireplace, “an open-masonry fireplace might be only 15 percent efficient. But if there is no fire and the damper is left open, it can have a negative efficiency as warm air escapes.”

Hard-hitting homeowners, who have endured unexpected cold snaps followed by expensive fossil fuel bills, can step up their game by converting their open fireplace into a high-performance heating zone with a Morso fireplace insert.

Even homeowners without chimneys or fireplaces can score energy savings with a double play using both the Morsø Zero Clearance Enclosure and the Morso 5660 wood-burning fireplace insert. The Morso 5660 Zero-Clearance Enclosure is designed to be framed into the home. This is a popular choice for homeowners looking to update their homes with the advanced technology of a Morso 5660 fireplace insert and class A chimney.

Demonstrate Sustainability Principles

[photo caption: Craig Shankster, President at Morso US LLC, holds a Green Power Switch® plaque that certifies that 100% of the electricity used at the Morsø US distribution facility in Portland TN comes from renewable sources.]


Setting An Example Is Not The Main Means of Influencing Others; It Is The Only Means. Albert Einstein

Without a doubt, Morso wood stove owners (past, present, and future) do their homework. They research the leading wood stoves on the market. They read fireplace and wood stove reviews, blog posts, and home improvement magazines. They ask serious questions about performance, maintenance, quality, warranties and energy efficiency. They even comparative shop online and at hearth stores.

However, when it comes to evaluating which products and companies are considered “sustainable”, it gets tricky. What exactly does a company need to do to be deemed “sustainable”? If a wood stove demonstrates quality construction and energy efficiency, does that make it a sustainable product?

“Sustainability” is not a nuts and bolts comparison; it is a value that represents the stewardship actions a company and its products demonstrate to ensure the well being of the environment and world we share.

Respectfully, with over 158 years of practice and a documented track record of environmentally-responsible manufacturing processes, Morso can confidently say that all of our handcrafted cast iron products are indeed “sustainable”.

You judge for yourself.

Sustainability Check List

RECYCLED CONTENT

Every Morso wood stove and fireplace insert is constructed in high quality cast iron using 98% recycled material. Just think, your new Morso energy efficient wood stove might have once been a bicycle or a lamp post.

All packaging is made from 100% recycled material; Morsø packs products in cardboard and wood, not plastic or PVC.

All waste packaging and iron parts are also recycled. Other types of waste are separated into groups and go to a central waste center for additional recycling.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

At Morsø’s Denmark production facility 80% of the total energy we use in production comes from renewable sources:69% from Wind, water and sun energy, and 11% from waste, bio fuel & bio gas

The Morso US headquarters in Portland, Tennessee’s electricity is powered by 100% renewable energy, including bio fuel and wind, per agreement with their local energy supplier as part of the Green Power Switch program: 80% from wind power and 20% from biogas.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

Constant evaluation and conservation improvements have allowed production output to increase while continuing to hold energy use at the current level. Possibly the largest investment made in energy reduction has been in MANPOWER. Today all our stoves continue to be hand built and quality checked; this is also good for the local economy.

MAXIMIZED EFFICIENCY

Morso wood stoves and fireplace inserts have gone through major engineering advances to ensure that the combustion chambers burn more completely with low emissions. As a result, Morsø has improved the emission g/ pr. kg wood pr hour dramatically and measuring on OGC (tar) and CO have significantly improved.

The firebox is lined with Vermiculite, a material that offers superb insulation qualities allowing for secondary combustion to take place in the firebox. Vermiculite is resistant to temperatures up to 2120°f.

The window is made from transparent ceramic glass resistant to temperatures up to 1300°f

SUSTAINABLE WOOD 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.

Using a wood-burning Morso stove is a positive- renewable-fuel choice. Wood is a plentiful, renewable, non-fossil natural product and when used as fuel it is in effect ‘carbon-neutral’ meaning that the CO2 released when burning is being absorbed by the tree that has been replanted; in fact the same level of CO2 would have been emitted by a tree that had been left to rot naturally on the forest floor.

Dealer Profile: Albuquerque Patio and Hearth Co

[Photo caption: The Patio and Hearth Co team includes: from left to right in photo Bill Esch, Cindy Esch, Robert Tecumseh, and (not in photo) Kip Wills

Bill Esch at Patio and Hearth Co has always been a fan of European design, not only in heating appliances, but in the world of architecture and automobile design. Which is why, he jumped on the opportunity to become a Morso dealer. Now Morso wood stoves hold the marquee spot in this family-owned Albuquerque, New Mexico retail establishment.

According to Esch, Morso is one of the finest examples of function and design in the industry. He predicts Morso will quickly grow to be their strongest wood stove product line. Patio and Hearth Co now has at least four Morso wood stove models on the floor at all times. Presently, the centerpiece display includes the 8188, B2, 6148, 2110, 3610, and the 5660 fireplace insert.

In fact, the very first wood stove seen on entering Patio and Hearth Co is the beautiful cast iron Morso 8188. Esch explains, “The Morso stoves and fireplace inserts create a lot interest, how could customers not comment on their fantastic design”. As it turns out a good number of customers who come in looking for hearth or chimney supplies are immediately attracted to the Morso displays and begin to think about updating their wood stove with a new high efficiency Morso wood stove.

When asked to share a key ingredient in their business success formula, Esch cites knowledge and patience. “Many of our customers came to us after shopping at our competitors and the feedback we hear is that they sought us out because no one else took the time to explain how wood stoves work.”

Patio and Hearth Co features only the highest quality products which are backed by knowledgeable staff, customer service, technical support, and manufacturers’ warranty. You can visit their 7,500 sq. ft. showroom at 11030 Menaul NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112. You can call Patio and Hearth Co at (505) 294-4430.

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!