All Fired Up

If your elements look like this, it's time to replace.

Common question, is the red gap under the lid of my kiln, while it's firing, a problem?
The answer is both yes and no... there are several factors that causes this...
The normal, it's not a big deal...
1 the heat causes positive air pressure that can slightly lift the lid...
2 the light you see is infrared which is prismatic, meaning that the light you see is expanded and the actual crack is less...
3 the lid may have a lift system that uses the positive pressure to lift even more, place a shelf near the handle to add weight...and hold the lid down
4 the inside of your kiln expands when it's hot, this means the bricks inside surface swells, so the lid slightly flexes and bows up normally lifting the handle. Also this expansion will close up many of the cracks in the floor of your kiln.

The problem of the gap and glow, now causing loss of heat and maybe uneven firing.

1A. wear of the brick surface... coming from bending over to load, and the brick wears away...
When it becomes an extreme issue, use fiber blanket to make a gasket...
2A. The natural settling of the kiln over time...with all the expanding and contracting, shifting and gaps just happen...
3A. Damage.... filling the gap is case by case call, and you should evaluate your options and what you want to do.

Element pins creeping out? Use a post to gently push them back in. Slightly roll the post to keep the edge from poking out. The post is less likely to slip off and unlike plyers, won't gouge the brick.