<PAGE>   1


                                                                  EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Roderick V. Schlosser
and Robert L. Goucher, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorney full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 29th day of March, 1999.


                                            /s/ William H. Martin, III
                                           ---------------------------
                                                William H. Martin, III


<PAGE>   2



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Roderick V. Schlosser
and William H. Martin, III, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of
the undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to
be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorney full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 29th day of March, 1999.


                                              /s/ Robert L. Goucher
                                             ----------------------
                                                  Robert L. Goucher





<PAGE>   3



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints William H. Martin, III
and Robert L. Goucher, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorney full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 29th day of March, 1999.


                                              /s/ Roderick V. Schlosser
                                             --------------------------
                                                  Roderick V. Schlosser




<PAGE>   4



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Robert L. Goucher and
Roderick V. Schlosser, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 27th day of March, 1999.


                                             /s/   William D. Biggs
                                             -----------------------------
                                                   William D. Biggs



<PAGE>   5



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Robert L. Goucher and
Roderick V. Schlosser, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 30th day of March, 1999.


                                             /s/  Jim D. Caudle, Sr.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                  Jim D. Caudle, Sr.





<PAGE>   6



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Robert L. Goucher and
Roderick V. Schlosser, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 26th day of March, 1999.


                                             /s/  Herbert J. Dickson
                                             -----------------------------
                                                  Herbert J. Dickson




<PAGE>   7



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Robert L. Goucher and
Roderick V. Schlosser, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 26th day of March, 1999.


                                              /s/    Bill G. Hughey
                                              -----------------------------
                                                     Bill G. Hughey






<PAGE>   8



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Robert L. Goucher and
Roderick V. Schlosser, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 29th day of March, 1999.


                                                /s/ LOUIS J. MARTIN, II
                                             -----------------------------
                                                  Louis J. Martin, II




<PAGE>   9



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints Robert L. Goucher and
Roderick V. Schlosser, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys of the
undersigned to sign the name of the undersigned as director to the Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998 of said corporation to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and to any and all amendments to said report.

         The undersigned hereby grants to said attorneys full power of
substitution, resubstitution and revocation, all as fully as the undersigned
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying all that said attorneys or
their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned director of Martin Industries, Inc.
has executed this Power of Attorney this 26th day of March, 1999.


                                                 /s/ JAMES J. TANOUS
                                             -----------------------------
                                                    James J. Tanous