To enhance the energy efficiency of an aluminum melting and holding furnace, to execute this treatment at a low cost and to improve its reliability.

This aluminum melting and holding furnace is provided with a crucible 3, a furnace body 1 surrounding the crucible 3 and forming a combustion chamber 2 around the crucible 3, a combustion device 7 provided with the furnace body 1 and an exhaust heat recovering device 71 for recovering the exhaust heat by heating the air supplied into the combustion device 7 with the exhaust gas heat exhausted from the combustion chamber 2. Further, the furnace is peculiarly provided with a seal member 6 between the upper part of the crucible 3 and the upper part of the furnace body 1.