Kent. The Tile Fire

[ChicagoFire]

Hi all, happy 2019! I am in the near-north suburbs of Chicago. We purchased a home from a family who had lived and owned from the 1960's and as luck would have it, they had a Kent Tile stove in the sun room. Must have been cutting edge gadget people in their day. Needless to say I went from 'what is that' to passionate user very quickly. What a remarkable device. I burn Oak exclusively as it lasts the longest and maintains the heat the best from my experience. It's been a pleasure to read about other owners' experiences as this is easy to become really enthusiastic about. What is most interesting and impressive is that fact that it is pretty much indestructible given its age and clearly regular use. You can fill it with wood to the top and there is no exterior-indoor smoke whatsoever. Just a slow, warm burn that heats an all-glass sun room and the adjacent family room on cold winter days. We have a large wood burning fireplace that gives off half the heat.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

We had a Kent Tile Fire for a few years. Great stoves, clean burning, efficient and make the home toasty. Enjoy it. They are easy to overheat. As there is a grate on top, a stove top thermometer is not a good option. If you have a double wall stove pipe, install a probe thermometer at 18". Your stove will last a lot longer than without it.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

What’s that third picture of? It looks like a fire pit indoors.

 

[MAD MARK]

What’s that third picture of? It looks like a fire pit indoors.

It looks like a fire pit outdoors, unless someone put gutters indoors.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

It looks like a fire pit outdoors, unless someone put gutters indoors.

Oh yeah, whoops.

 

[ChicagoFire]

Re photos, I was just trying to demonstrate my certifiable pyromania status so I can fit in here. Thank you for the tip concerning the thermometer. There have been times already where i through the thing might just melt down (glowing red at the chimney). But that was prior to my knowing this Kent is special and no longer available. There is a thermometer in place. It occasionally redlines at the 900F marker, I will try to limit these occasions. A lot of novelty, we were 'city' people and moved to this suburbs house with all these fire options.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

Re photos, I was just trying to demonstrate my certifiable pyromania status so I can fit in here. Thank you for the tip concerning the thermometer. There have been times already where i through the thing might just melt down (glowing red at the chimney). But that was prior to my knowing this Kent is special and no longer available. There is a thermometer in place. It occasionally redlines at the 900F marker, I will try to limit these occasions. A lot of novelty, we were 'city' people and moved to this suburbs house with all these fire options.

Try to keep below 600, stove top below the grates. Where is the thermometer installed? Consider an IR thermometer gun. Avoid red glowing parts at all times.

Did you have the stove pipe and chimney cleaned and inspected before the first fire in the stove?

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

You can find the manual of the stove here: https://www.hearth.com/images/uploads/kentmansm.pdf

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Hi all, happy 2019! I am in the near-north suburbs of Chicago. We purchased a home from a family who had lived and owned from the 1960's and as luck would have it, they had a Kent Tile stove in the sun room. Must have been cutting edge gadget people in their day. Needless to say I went from 'what is that' to passionate user very quickly. What a remarkable device. I burn Oak exclusively as it lasts the longest and maintains the heat the best from my experience. It's been a pleasure to read about other owners' experiences as this is easy to become really enthusiastic about. What is most interesting and impressive is that fact that it is pretty much indestructible given its age and clearly regular use. You can fill it with wood to the top and there is no exterior-indoor smoke whatsoever. Just a slow, warm burn that heats an all-glass sun room and the adjacent family room on cold winter days. We have a large wood burning fireplace that gives off half the heat.

Thanks for the post, and sorry for the cold reception here. That Kent stove looks like a good one. I'd be curious to read the history of the company and what happened to them.

Looks like you have a good supply of wood under cover, too, which is a good thing.

Stick with us, particularly for helpful technical advice. I've received plenty of that myself and the general tone of the site suits me well, but it can be an aquired taste for some.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

Thanks for the post, and sorry for the cold reception here. That Kent stove looks like a good one. I'd be curious to read the history of the company and what happened to them.

Looks like you have a good supply of wood under cover, too, which is a good thing.

Stick with us, particularly for helpful technical advice. I've received plenty of that myself and the general tone of the site suits me well, but it can be an aquired taste for some.

It's a New Zealand company. They still exist and make great stoves. The US importer stopped importing Kent stoves in 1989. They moved the operation to Australia a while back. Here is the website. https://www.kentwoodheaters.com.au/

 

[PaulOinMA]

I thought the fire pit was indoors, too.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

It's a New Zealand company. They still exist and make great stoves. The US importer stopped importing Kent stoves in 1989. They moved the operation to Australia a while back. Here is the website. https://www.kentwoodheaters.com.au/

Probably expensive to move all that weight all the way from the opposite end of the earth.

What did you end up doing with yours?

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

Probably expensive to move all that weight all the way from the opposite end of the earth.

What did you end up doing with yours?

The baffle was wrapped. Sold it to a guy who is using it in his shop. $150.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

The baffle was wrapped. Sold it to a guy who is using it in his shop. $150.

Was the baffle something that could be replaced or substituted with a standard part, or was it integral to the stove?

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

Was the baffle something that could be replaced or substituted with a standard part, or was it integral to the stove?

Welded to the stove. It was pretty bad.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Welded to the stove. It was pretty bad.

Sounds like manufacturers figured out to design baffles to be replaceable items, as newer stoves seem to mostly have.

 

[ChicagoFire]

Thanks to all for responses. Yes the fire pit is outdoors, nothing special; and I thought too good a photo not to post with the others in the context. We all like fire here! Outdoors I burn tree limbs we have had to cut in the yard with duraflame starter, indoors dried oak only and I use paper to start as we do not have a gas starter in the fireplace.

Question, with regards to fireplaces and generating heat - is the only / best option conversion to a wood stove? The fireplace is merely aesthetic I've come to learn while the wood stove is an actual home heater.

Also, with regards to outdoor smoke in the suburbs, fortunately we do not have specific rules here in Chicago (yet) but as a courtesy to neighbors, etc. are there chimney fans that dissipate/filter the smoke odor?

I place the fire pit outside the dining room for the mid-century vibe when we have guests.

 

[ChicagoFire]

Next question is ashes. I've read both leave an inch and elsewhere clean every time. Whats best?

 

[ChicagoFire]

We had a Kent Tile Fire for a few years. Great stoves, clean burning, efficient and make the home toasty. Enjoy it. They are easy to overheat. As there is a grate on top, a stove top thermometer is not a good option. If you have a double wall stove pipe, install a probe thermometer at 18". Your stove will last a lot longer than without it.

I have definitely overheated and will be more cautious. There is a thermometer but I haven't given it too much care as it is all steel. But now I know.

 

[ChicagoFire]

Re photos, I was just trying to demonstrate my certifiable pyromania status so I can fit in here. Thank you for the tip concerning the thermometer. There have been times already where i through the thing might just melt down (glowing red at the chimney). But that was prior to my knowing this Kent is special and no longer available. There is a thermometer in place. It occasionally redlines at the 900F marker, I will try to limit these occasions. A lot of novelty, we were 'city' people and moved to this suburbs house with all these fire options.

This Kent - EPA changed the rules and now they are a different design. I learned about them from the people we use for firewood who have the same stove. That said the new Kent's may very well be better, I haven't seen other than the website.

 

[ShawnLiNY]

Thanks to all for responses. Yes the fire pit is outdoors, nothing special; and I thought too good a photo not to post with the others in the context. We all like fire here! Outdoors I burn tree limbs we have had to cut in the yard with duraflame starter, indoors dried oak only and I use paper to start as we do not have a gas starter in the fireplace.

Question, with regards to fireplaces and generating heat - is the only / best option conversion to a wood stove? The fireplace is merely aesthetic I've come to learn while the wood stove is an actual home heater.

Also, with regards to outdoor smoke in the suburbs, fortunately we do not have specific rules here in Chicago (yet) but as a courtesy to neighbors, etc. are there chimney fans that dissipate/filter the smoke odor?

I place the fire pit outside the dining room for the mid-century vibe when we have guests. View attachment 237872View attachment 237873

you are correct fireplaces make lousy heaters , the choices you have are to fit an insert or depending on your preference and available space you can have a freestanding stove just inside or directly in front of opening

 

[ChicagoFire]

I don't want to change the aesthetic; what about one of these steel plates they sell for the back wall that is supposed to radiate heat? Any experience?? Aka “Grate Wall of Fire”

 

[kborndale]

I don't want to change the aesthetic; what about one of these steel plates they sell for the back wall that is supposed to radiate heat? Any experience?? Aka “Grate Wall of Fire”

An insert is really the only way to go that will keep most of the aesthetic and heat the house.

 

[ShawnLiNY]

I don't want to change the aesthetic; what about one of these steel plates they sell for the back wall that is supposed to radiate heat? Any experience?? Aka “Grate Wall of Fire”

for the cost of those you’d be better off ( IMO) taking measurements of your back wall and getting any steel shop to cut you a piece of 1/2” plate