Who Is Kozy Heat?

50 Years of Family, Craftsmanship, and the Art of the Perfect Fireplace By Custom Fireside — Sacramento, CA — Authorized Kozy Heat Dealer

A Name Worth Knowing

When you walk into Custom Fireside and ask about our fireplaces, we're quick to tell you we carry Kozy Heat. And almost every time, the follow-up question is: "Who is Kozy Heat?" It's a fair question. Kozy Heat isn't a giant appliance conglomerate with a marketing budget the size of a small country. They're something rarer — and, we'd argue, something better.

Kozy Heat is Hussong Manufacturing Co., Inc., a privately held, family-owned fireplace company headquartered in Lakefield, Minnesota. They've been building gas and electric fireplaces for over 50 years. Three generations of the Hussong family have run this company, and they still sign their name to every product they build.

"A great fireplace does more than warm a room. It becomes the heart of a home." — Kozy Heat Company Philosophy

The Beginning: A Problem, A Shop, and a Spark

The year was 1976. The United States was in the grip of an energy crisis — the fuel embargo of the 1970s had made heating a building both expensive and uncertain. In a small millwork shop in southern Minnesota, a man named Dudley Hussong decided he was going to do something about it.

His goal was straightforward: build a fireplace that heated a workspace more efficiently. The solution he crafted from metal and ingenuity worked better than he expected. Word spread among his neighbors. Then among their neighbors. Within two years, Kozy Heat fireplaces were selling throughout Minnesota — not because of advertising, but because of the reputation the product earned one home at a time.

Founded in 1976 by Dudley Hussong in Lakefield, Minnesota. What began as a single fireplace solution during the fuel embargo became one of the most respected family-owned fireplace brands in North America.

Three Generations: The Hussong Family Timeline

In 1976, Dudley Hussong founded Kozy Heat in a small millwork shop in southern Minnesota during the fuel embargo. The first fireplace was built to solve a heating problem — and sparked a company.

From 1976 to 1978, the company grew by word of mouth across Minnesota. No major advertising — just a product that worked and neighbors who talked about it.

In 1984, Jim Hussong (Dudley's son) joined the company full time. Dudley focused on R&D and product development, while Jim built the sales and marketing foundation that would take Kozy Heat national. From 1984 onward, the Hussong father-son partnership grew a complete line of wood and gas fireplaces and established the dealer and distributor network still in operation today.

In 2014, the third generation arrived: Heather Hussong Reasoner joined as Vice President, carrying the family legacy forward into the modern era. In 2026, Sarah Severson (Heather's sister) joined as Chief Financial Officer, completing the third-generation leadership team.

Today, Kozy Heat is 50+ years old, privately held, and family owned through three generations, headquartered at 204 Industrial Park Drive, Lakefield, MN. Still building fireplaces the same way they always have.

The Values Behind the Brand

Honest Work. Kozy Heat doesn't cut corners on materials or construction. Every fireplace carries the Hussong family name, and that name means something to the people who built it. The quality control that comes from family ownership is different from what you get in a publicly traded company answering to quarterly earnings calls.

Sincere Relationships. Kozy Heat grows through a trusted network of authorized dealers — not big-box retail chains. They choose their dealer partners carefully because they see those relationships as extensions of the brand. When you walk into Custom Fireside, you're not talking to a faceless retailer — you're talking to someone Kozy Heat trusts to represent their product with the same care they put into building it.

Unwavering Commitment to Quality and Safety. Every Kozy Heat product is designed and built to meet rigorous safety standards. For Sacramento-area homeowners, this matters especially: Kozy Heat's gas and electric fireplaces are engineered for direct vent or sealed combustion systems, meaning the fire stays where it belongs and your indoor air quality stays clean.

What Kozy Heat Makes

Gas Fireplace Inserts slide into an existing fireplace opening and connect to a gas line — perfect for upgrading an old wood-burning fireplace to gas.

Gas Fireplaces are built-in units available in both traditional and linear (modern) styles — ideal for new construction or a renovation with a new fireplace location.

Gas Stoves are freestanding units that look like classic wood-burning stoves — a great way to add hearth ambiance without a full installation.

Electric Fireplaces (the Osseo eSeries Inserts and Linear) are plug-in or hardwired 120V units — well suited to renters, condos, or any room without gas access.

Why Custom Fireside Chose Kozy Heat

We didn't choose Kozy Heat because they offered us the best margin or the biggest co-op advertising budget. We chose them because of what we found when we looked closely at their products and their people.

The quality is real. These aren't off-the-shelf fireplace boxes with a brand sticker. Kozy Heat designs and builds their products with a level of craftsmanship that holds up over years of use — which matters to our Sacramento customers who expect a fireplace to last decades, not years.

The company values match ours. Custom Fireside is also a small, family-run business. We believe in honest advice and long-term relationships over quick sales. Kozy Heat operates the same way.

The product line is complete. Whether our customers need a gas insert for an existing masonry fireplace, a sleek modern linear for a new build, or an electric unit for a rental property, Kozy Heat has the right product. We can offer one trusted brand across every scenario.

They stand behind their products. Kozy Heat's dealer network and support structure means that if you ever have a question or need service, you're not on your own. We're here, and they're behind us.

Sacramento Homeowners: Every Kozy Heat gas and electric fireplace is completely exempt from SMAQMD Spare the Air wood-burning restrictions. You can enjoy your fireplace every evening of the year — no alerts, no restrictions, no compromises.

Our Verdict

Ready to find your Kozy Heat fireplace? Visit the Custom Fireside showroom in Sacramento and see the full Kozy Heat lineup — gas inserts, traditional and linear gas fireplaces, gas stoves, and the Osseo eSeries electric fireplaces — all on display. No appointment necessary. Our team is here to help you find the right fit for your home. Kozy Heat: Hussong Mfg. Co., Inc., Lakefield, MN — Founded 1976.

Custom Fireside — Sacramento, CA — Authorized Kozy Heat Dealer Visit our showroom — no appointment necessary. | customfireside.com