Kuuma VF-100 working overtime

[Micdrew]

I haven’t posted much here recently so I figured I’d give an update and start a chat on the kuuma or any wood burner out there, I’ve been burning since November and have burned maybe 1.5 cords so far, oak/locust. This month could be the coldest year yet for me, i think I’m on year 4 with the furnace. Snow should be starting in the next few hours here in MD. The temps bottom out once the storm pulls off shore accompanied with high winds and we could be looking at another one by the weekend. Iv had the furnace set on medium all day, I find that it’s easy to maintain 72-74 degrees but hard to play catch up so I’m burning 24/7. the blower hasnt shut off all day, Im keeping the beast fed. You can really tell the difference when the temps get into 20s vs the 30s, the house gets harder to heat. Can’t say enough about the furnace though it keeps us warm and toasty all winter long weather its 20 or 0 outside. Hope everyone is having a good start to the new year, January is gunna be a cold one.

 

[R Henderson]

We are right in the middle of our first ice storm this winter we usually get one good storm a winter usually January here in southern Missouri it dipped down to teens low 20s afterwards. So far the kuuma has not been past it's low setting and easily keeps the house 70ish. It was a bit touchy during a power outage but I just kept small three stick loads. Hopefully we should be back to "normal" soon but the cold is going to stick around the highest temp the next 10 days or so is 29.

Got to say it is an excellent unit I started burning November 12th and pretty steady use only being out for maybe 3-4 days it was warm in December and only used around 1- face cord of wood oak, ash, got some hickory on reserve for the cold coming up.

 

[JRHAWK9]

I'm lovin' the temps we have been seeing here lately. Nightly lows in the single digits and daytime highs in the teens/low 20's is the sweet spot for being able to keep a burn going 24/7 without having to push the Kuuma. I'd be happy if we would stay in this weather pattern the whole winter.

 

[brenndatomu]

Yup, the ole VF is just plugging away here, I haven't kept track of the total wood used, mostly because early on I tend to clean up some shorts n uglies from the summer splitting session (mostly dead ash lately, so ready to burn either immediately, or certainly by heating season.
10-12*F is about the lowest we have seen so far, and right now we are in a stretch of 10 days or so where its not supposed to get about 32* (kinda like a normal winter from days gone by!) and the Kuuma is still on low, firebox has not been filled much over half yet (really doesn't need to be unless we get closer to zero, and/or windy)
I tend to switch to loading 3X times/day rather than packing the firebox clear full, which I found can lead to having too many coals to deal with when the weather gets real cold and the furnace gets to come off of idle for a lil bit.
Heck I have started cutting about half my wood to 16" so I can stack it higher, (in the firebox) to make the VF burn nice, and still not load too many BTU's in the firebox (for the milder weather, which as mentioned earlier, seem to be the new normal winter weather here now) to overheat the house.
One lil trick I learned was during milder weather I can stack (4-5) 16" splits in and add one in the back standing vertically...I get a decent fire, and that piece in the back seems to coal up and last longer for some longer lasting low-level heat, which works well when its 35-40* out.

 

[Micdrew]

I'm lovin' the temps we have been seeing here lately. Nightly lows in the single digits and daytime highs in the teens/low 20's is the sweet spot for being able to keep a burn going 24/7 without having to push the Kuuma. I'd be happy if we would stay in this weather pattern the whole winter.

It is really nice not having to restart the fire after work, pack it tight and walk away.

 

[lampmfg]

It's nice to read this! Stay warm...