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.

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.

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.