1930's Coal furnace - ID help?

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sporksradiant
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Post by sporksradiant » Tue. Jun. 07, 2022 2:34 pm

So this is in a house I'm looking pretty strongly at buying, and I'm hoping to find out more about it as well as finding someone knowledgable to look it over & see if it's still usable. It's in a 1930's house in SW VA and I believe original to the house. House may be a Sears / Aladdin home but we're not sure yet.

Image
https://imgur.com/a/Km40EOK

Anyone recognize it?

I don't know much about coal honestly, but I'm trying to learn. Grew up on wood stoves until we moved south when I was a teen. So if anyone knows a good repair person or source for coal in SW VA who won't take advantage of my lack of knowledge, I'd appreciate it.

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Tue. Jun. 07, 2022 3:15 pm

I had a Sears, very similar to that. I didn't know how to burn coal back then but that thing would turn the house into a tropical environment. Strongly recommend a humidifier.


 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Wed. Jun. 08, 2022 8:45 am

Commonly called an "Octopus furnace" because of the large heat pipes coming out of the top section of the sheet metal jacket that surrounds the actual cast iron furnace.

The furnace heats the air inside the jacket which becomes lighter. Heavier cool air in the return duct (often a brick-lined trench in the dirt floor covered with large slates) into the bottom of the jacket and pushes the hot air up through the ducts to rooms above. Hence why some call it a gravity furnace - no air-moving fan needed and gives nicem gental warmed air constantly.

Room temps were adjusted by movable slates in floor registers plus by sheet metal dampers in the pipes down in the basement,

My house originally had one. I wish it still did because it could heat this 17 room Victorian monstrosity to a constant temp without need of electricity.

Paul

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