# KUUMA VAPOR FIRE 100 wood furnace results



## STIHLY DAN (Aug 27, 2013)

KUUMA VAPOR FIRE 100 wood furnace results
As many of you now I installed a Kuuma vapor fire last year. Well I just got around to cleaning my chimney for the last piece of info needed to give an accurate opinion. The chimney was as clean as a whistle, A little dust ash, that's it. There was a little soot in the inside Single wall pipe, 1/16 of an inch. This furnace was everything they said it was. This was my only source of heat last winter, if it didn't work I was screwed. It worked flawlessly. My house about 2,000 sq ft, NEVER dropped below 70* Even on the coldest days where some peoples boilers could not keep up. This furnace is said to equal 100,000 btu fossil fuel furnace. Well a coworker that lives 5 miles away with a 125,000 BTU oil boiler on the coldest days could not keep his house out of the 50's. First time that has happened to him in the 20 yr's he's been there. My house was 72*. This wood furnace is as easier to use than any wood burning appliance that I have seen. Almost as easy as fossil fuel, the exception of course is that you have to put wood in it twice a day. Even that is easy, scrape the ash down the grate, pull the coals forward, toss in your wood, close the door and walk away. Even my wife can use it. (and that is saying something. she is VERY girly) Don't come back for 8 to 12 hours. 1 piece of wood = 1 hr of burn. I never loaded the furnace full, so I don't know how long a burn it can have. But it can do at least a 12 hr burn 3/4 loaded. I got the h2o coil with it, which gave me 3 free showers a day.
Wood usage was the same amount of the same wood as the winter before with the wood stove. If you recall that winter 2 yrs ago was no winter at all. Last winter just wouldn't end, needed heat in june for crying out loud. So twice the winter and hot water with the same amount of wood, and 1 million percent easier.
As for customer service, they are amazing. I have never encountered such good service. There was trucking damage upon delivery, They wrote me up a repair quote the same day. I had an issue upon start up on a Saturday morning. I called them and the owner answered the phone and had my issue resolved in minute's. ( a spring adjustment) I called on a weeknight at 7 o'clock with a question, again the owner answered the phone and answered my question. Darrell ( the owner) is truly excited by his unit, and how it works.
American made, with true American quality, with old time American customer service. I am very pleased with the Vapor fire 100 and would happily recommend one to anyone. The only thing I don't like is it's hard to remember the spelling of Kuuma.
P.s It works great when the power goes out as well. And flue temp is around 250*.
P.ss I loved showing the guy's that ride along with me all the houses that have smoke coming out of there chimney's, then driving by my house and seeing nothing coming out of mine, not even the heat squiggles. They could not believe I had a fire going at the time.​Last edited by stihly dan; 08-21-2013 at 10:44 PM.​


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## jebatty (Aug 28, 2013)

I just drove through Tower a couple of weeks ago and I kick myself for not stopping to see the Lamppa Manufacturing operation. The furnace is advertised at 30-40,000 btuH continuous output, or about 5-7 lbs of 20% MC wood per hour. It certainly is an option for those who need or want a forced air furnace. Hot water is my system, a major benefit being that with added water storage I need to burn at most every other day and in warmer weather every 3-5 days. I don't burn during the non-heating season. I would like to plan a trip up to Tower just for the fun of it and see Lamppa operation, if it is available for a tour. Glad you are happy with yours.


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## GS7 (Aug 28, 2013)

The results you've experienced sound good. Got my eye on a Kuuma VF100 but I need to find a good installer in CT. No sense in having a great unit sitting in a corner in the basement.


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## hobbyheater (Aug 28, 2013)

GS7 said:


> The results you've experienced sound good. Got my eye on a Kuuma VF100 but I need to find a good installer in CT. No sense in having a great unit sitting in a corner in the basement.


 
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/grannys-new-wood-furnace.108241/

Have you considered doing the install yourself?  Putting duct work together is not all that complicated. The manufacture of the Kuuma would likely be happy to send you the clearances to combustibles for the furnace, smoke pipe and clearances for the duct work.  Find a sheet metal shop that is willing to tell you how to take proper measurements, to connect the furnace to the existing duct work and have them show you how the sections join together before you start or even purchase the furnace.  It is really simple.  I had misgivings about doing this installation until I learned how simple it is.


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## lampmfg (Aug 29, 2013)

jebatty said:


> I just drove through Tower a couple of weeks ago and I kick myself for not stopping to see the Lamppa Manufacturing operation. The furnace is advertised at 30-40,000 btuH continuous output, or about 5-7 lbs of 20% MC wood per hour. It certainly is an option for those who need or want a forced air furnace. Hot water is my system, a major benefit being that with added water storage I need to burn at most every other day and in warmer weather every 3-5 days. I don't burn during the non-heating season. I would like to plan a trip up to Tower just for the fun of it and see Lamppa operation, if it is available for a tour. Glad you are happy with yours.


 

My dad would gladly show you around the shop if you were in the area.  Since we also make Kuuma wood and electric sauna stoves you never know what they are working on.  Being that it's a smaller operation he does things in batches so I can't promise that he will always be working furnaces or have any on hand.  He's even there alone usually on Saturday's from 10-4 or so if your around on the weekend.  If you start asking questions about the furnace be prepared to be there for awhile


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## brenndatomu (Aug 29, 2013)

lampmfg said:


> If you start asking questions about the furnace be prepared to be there for awhile


Call me weird if ya wanna, but sounds he like a pretty interesting guy to me...


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## jdogg (Jan 14, 2014)

Daryl really is a great guy in my book.
I sent him a e-mail asking if they can change the door handles so they open from the left when facing the unit (right handed IMO) rather than the right and he e-mailed me back the next day and said "Yes for a extra $25 we can do that. It's more work than you think"
First time I ever got a e-mail from a owner rather than a rep.


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## glacialhills (Apr 2, 2014)

STIHLY DAN said:


> KUUMA VAPOR FIRE 100 wood furnace results
> As many of you now I installed a Kuuma vapor fire last year. Well I just got around to cleaning my chimney for the last piece of info needed to give an accurate opinion. The chimney was as clean as a whistle, A little dust ash, that's it. There was a little soot in the inside Single wall pipe, 1/16 of an inch. This furnace was everything they said it was. This was my only source of heat last winter, if it didn't work I was screwed. It worked flawlessly. My house about 2,000 sq ft, NEVER dropped below 70* Even on the coldest days where some peoples boilers could not keep up. This furnace is said to equal 100,000 btu fossil fuel furnace. Well a coworker that lives 5 miles away with a 125,000 BTU oil boiler on the coldest days could not keep his house out of the 50's. First time that has happened to him in the 20 yr's he's been there. My house was 72*. This wood furnace is as easier to use than any wood burning appliance that I have seen. Almost as easy as fossil fuel, the exception of course is that you have to put wood in it twice a day. Even that is easy, scrape the ash down the grate, pull the coals forward, toss in your wood, close the door and walk away. Even my wife can use it. (and that is saying something. she is VERY girly) Don't come back for 8 to 12 hours. 1 piece of wood = 1 hr of burn. I never loaded the furnace full, so I don't know how long a burn it can have. But it can do at least a 12 hr burn 3/4 loaded. I got the h2o coil with it, which gave me 3 free showers a day.
> Wood usage was the same amount of the same wood as the winter before with the wood stove. If you recall that winter 2 yrs ago was no winter at all. Last winter just wouldn't end, needed heat in june for crying out loud. So twice the winter and hot water with the same amount of wood, and 1 million percent easier.
> As for customer service, they are amazing. I have never encountered such good service. There was trucking damage upon delivery, They wrote me up a repair quote the same day. I had an issue upon start up on a Saturday morning. I called them and the owner answered the phone and had my issue resolved in minute's. ( a spring adjustment) I called on a weeknight at 7 o'clock with a question, again the owner answered the phone and answered my question. Darrell ( the owner) is truly excited by his unit, and how it works.
> ...



I agree with everything you say 1000%. I too am a VERY satisfied vapor fire owner. Going on 5 or 6 years now.


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