Hello,
My name is David Jacobs, and this email has been a long time coming.
I’ve been burning wood for the past decade. Six years ago, I came across a vintage Kuuma—an original Kuuma I—in Pennsylvania. I live just over the Maryland/Pennsylvania line. Our winters may not be as harsh as some states, but we still get weather that demands a reliable heat source.
My first stove was a Grandma Fisher. It worked, but I always felt there was room for improvement. That’s when I found this original Kuuma furnace. For the past six years I’ve been using it, experimenting with different setups, learning through trial and error, and figuring out how this furnace really works. It didn’t come with a manual or instructions, so much of what I learned came from the history and information on your website—where Lamppa Manufacturing started and how these units were originally built.
During this time, I was also becoming an HVAC technician. Now that I’m licensed, I’ve finally dialed in a setup that works perfectly for my home. I’m running the Kuuma into my return side in a way that has proven reliable for my situation. I wired the Kuuma blower into a relay tied into my air handler’s board through the fan circuit, so whenever the Kuuma’s blower turns on, it triggers circulation throughout my 1,500 sq. ft. home. It has been an incredibly efficient and consistent setup for us.
Someday, I’d love to upgrade to a new Vapor-Fire 100, but financially it’s not the right time yet. Even so, I wanted to share how impressed I am that this “relic” of a unit continues to save me a tremendous amount on my winter energy bills. It may not match the efficiency of the modern Vapor-Fire 100, but it absolutely gets the job done—and it’s still going strong.
We burn mostly red oak with some white oak mixed in, keeping our moisture content under 15% after a proper drying season. This stove has proven itself year after year. Thank you for building a product that not only works but truly stands the test of time. And thank you for staying an American-based company committed to quality and craftsmanship.
Sincerely,
David Jacobs