An antique cast iron Franklin stove converted to gas. Lots of people are thinking about supplemental heat sources these days, even in areas that traditionally haven’t needed to. For historic houses, an antique cast iron stove converted to gas can be a practical and appropriate option.
Cast iron stoves largely replaced open fires for heating in the mid-19th century. Franklin stoves were an intermediate step in that process, bringing the fire out into the room and taking advantage of the radiant properties of cast iron but not yet enclosing the fire with a door. Such stoves can still be used for supplemental heating and ambiance, burning wood or converted to gas.
In the photo, an unvented gas log unit has been installed in this cast iron Franklin stove (also called a Franklin fireplace). The homeowner carefully drilled a hole in the cast iron for the gas pipe, starting with a very small bit size and enlarging the hole by increasing the bit size in consecutive passes until he reached the required hole size.
Chapter 8 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” discusses historic heating systems and delves into appropriate options for modern and efficient HVAC systems that don’t distract from the historic character of your home.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors, including Virginia Savage’s classic “A Field Guide to American Houses.”
Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
“Restoring Your Historic House is also available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
© Scott T. Hanson 2026.
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