The KUFH series does require a thermostat to operate. Several factory installed thermostats are available for your heater. The factory-installed KFUH-2TS is a 2 stage thermostat. It does require a KFUH-2S1 2-stage control relay for single phase models or KFUH-2S3 2 stage control for three phase models. A control relay is factory installed and must be ordered at the time as KFUH-2TS.