Stove Is Red Hot, What to Do?

Decided to give coal a try this winter for the first time and hope to work out some kinks before it gets really cold. Inherited a approximately 100 year old "Grand Oak" from a relative. Upright stove in good shape with lots of fancy detailing. The guy who sold me a ton of coal ($325 in Maine but still cheaper than oil) gave me a lesson in lighting it. Problem, at least I think it's a problem, is the stove heats up to where the firebox glows a gentle red around the bottom edge. That's with the damper all the way down and bottom air vents closed as tightly as possible. I already caulked any spots that looked like potential leaks. Is this acceptable? Should I try to retrofit some firebricks? Get a new stove? Would welcome any suggestions. Got 1,900 pounds of coal in basement yet to burn.

I've got a similar stove I inherited, at least 75 years old, maybe a hundred. No apparent use of fire brick. A long, long time ago as a kid I could remember the cast iron base glowing cherry red. It didn't seem to concern my parents, but knowing what I know know today about stove safety I wouldn't use it without fire brick. The cast iron base on my stove is quite thick and slightly sloped off vertical. This is the area where it coal burns. Above it is a steel cylinder with openings for the coal feed door and the flue connector pipe. The stove has removable nickel plated castings that were used to warm the bed before you went to sleep in an unheated bedroom. Perhaps others with more experience with stoves could give better advise.

i heated a room of the house with an early 1900's heart oak coal stove like you describe w/ a thick cast base. no, it was not unusual for the bottom to glow red, and it was used for many years w/out concern, nor would I be concerned about yours glowing light red. what does concern me is that yours is doing it with the air restricted as much as possible, this should not occur. you should take apart the stove and rebuild it using new gasket and furnace cement in every joint. even a small air leak will allow this to happen.

At one time I rented a garage that had a small "pot belly" stove in it, we burned wood in it and I remember the lower section of the stove glowing a dull red. As mentioned, taking the stove apart for inspection and sealing any air leaks is important for safety reasons. I'm sure there are others on this forum who can help you more then I can.

Please post pictures if you can.

If its glowing it may degrade the metal over time. I would, as the other posts suggest, look to find the air leaking in. Not sure without seeing it, but you may be able to put some refractory cement around the bottom on the inside (make sure everything is good and clean) to protect it from the heat and it may seal the leak. It definitely will reduce the temp of the metal.

If you don't do something about it, it may become a serious problem.

You could probably use a candle or cigar or something to see where it's sucking air in. I understand it's old but with the air damper shut it shouldn't be stoked up to red hot temps, there must be a leak below the coals. It might have a crack in the base that opens up when it gets hot but invisible when cold. .As a kid our woodstove would glow cherry red, no worries until it started sparking, then dad would wake up

Thanks very much for the feedback. This forum is a great resource for somebody just getting started like myself. I went over the stove again with high temp caulk and we're trying another fire now. If I can get the fire to last until morning I was thinking that shaking and reloading on top of a thin bed of ashes might also dampen the air flow. If that doesn't work, I have a line on a Chubby stove that my coal dealer recommended. Anyone have anything to say about those?

I think dungeon master is using a chubby stove. Try to find using the search function.

Greg L

It's funny how regional different stove brands are. I remember when I was younger and living in Massachusetts, a lot of people had Chubby stoves and most loved them. My sister in New Hampshire still has one in her kitchen.

Same way with Vermont Castings stoves. Very popular in New England. One of my brothers in Massachusetts has one of those.

Another thing you may want to try is installing a barametric damper in the stove pipe. Maybe along with air leaks , you also have too strong of draft in the chimney. Just a thought.

good suggestion OP, I would highly suggest a baro, on older non-air tight stoves with chimney drafting well, it can be a big pain to keep readjusting the air controlls to achieve desired heat output, a baro does this automatically.

You don't have a liner in the firebox and will crack the pot. I can supply the liner or tell you where to get it. Do not use the stove till you cure this problem. This is a common problem with old oak style stoves. Emery