Alternative heat sources. Is anyone using Kerosene heaters

[Vibes]

I used to burn quite a bit of Kerosene. I had a Kerosun Director, and a Kerosun Omni. They were very good heaters and I heated my whole house with just those 2. I burned about 12 gallons a week.

I quit using them, when the price of Kerosene went up rapidly. But since all fuel went up so much it probably evened out. Plus, when I went to buy replacement wicks, the new wicks were loosely woven, and didn't burn off the vapors as well.

I like those heaters. I could take them up to camp with me and saved the fuss of dealing with the furnace when we got there. I don't remember the BTU output of them, but as much as I remember, they seemed way more efficient than the pellet stoves that are so popular now, and they didn't need electric to operate.

So does anyone run them, and what barnd are they, and how good do they burn.

 

[qweesdraw]

A friend used one of them and always complained of headaches.
I talked him into a vent less propane heater he thanks me for the $ he has saved propane compared to kerosene and no headaches.
Northentools sells them for about $200

 

[dave_dj1]

I would never use one in my house, I can't stand the smell plus I don't believe they are all that safe.
Be very careful if you do. co2 and all the risk of fire.
Back when I was a kid my grandparents had a kitchen cook stove that had propane burners and on the left side it had a kerosene burner, it heated that end of their house for many, many years.
dave

 

[ponyexpress976]

I have one...not sure of the brand/model etc. They don't smell all that great when you start them up. I've been running one for a couple hours each morning lately. The insert has had trouble keeping up when the temps really drop and I'm not about to use the electric baseboard heat.

 

[mainewoods]

I have used a kerosene fired Toyostove laser monitor heater for many years. They are very efficient, no smell ever and put out 40,000 btu's. with a fan forced blower. Also bought 2 used units from a local school dept. when they upgraded to a boiler system. That should tell you how safe they are to operate. Price new back then was around $2000. They throw out serious heat and are used in thousands of rental units in my area. Many are propane fired, but I prefer kerosene.

 

[jeff1981]

I use one whenever it's colder than about 20F out. (Frequently here) because I live in a big old drafty house. Woodstove at one end, pellet stove at the other, and the Kero in the living room. The trick (with fiberglass wicks) Is to dry burn it twice a week when using it every day. I light it on the porch, bring it in, and take it back out to shut it down. Works great, inexpensive, and keeps the house much more comfortable. Kero really isn't that expensive used in one of these- they are very efficient.

 

[dave_dj1]

mainwoods, is that unit vented? I think a vented unit like a monitor is fine and they just sip the fuel.
dave

 

[Vibes]

A friend used one of them and always complained of headaches.
I talked him into a vent less propane heater he thanks me for the $ he has saved propane compared to kerosene and no headaches.
Northentools sells them for about $200

My bud has a ventless propane in the camp that we hunt at. I see no advantage over my old Kerosun that I used to take up there. In fact I know at todays Propane prices, its much more expensive to run, and you lose the portability factor.

I used to let mine just burn out every time it was run. Never had any smell at all. Minimal when lighting it. Same as a good fire in a woodburner. Get it hot quick and less smoke.

As far as them being dangerous how so? Any fire is dangerous when put in the wrong hands.

What brand do you burn Jeff 1981.

 

[sunfish]

Just Wood here! Not interested in any other heat source...

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

I've got a small Sears brand kero heater that I believe is a Japanese Toyotomi/Toyostove. Years ago I used that thing full time during the winter for heat. Never had a problem with any kind of smell mainly because I started it and shut it down outside. Every week or two I'd dry burn the wick. I don't use it much now because of what the gas stations around here are asking for a gallon of kerosene. But I still keep it in the shed ready to go in case a friends power goes out.

 

[CTYank]

Yes. I use kerosene for a very small percentage of heat input. Not some ugly, or stinky, bulky box, though.

I've a few "Aladdin" mantle lamps. Can provide emergency lighting, burn with clean blue flame, around 3200 B/h. Can heat a room here, like for making a bath into a sauna, when I want to take a break from tending to the stove, or in far shoulder season.

Talk about sipping fuel!

 

[Big_Al]

Have both propane & kerosene heater & lamps but they are a backup to the woodstove. We don't normally use them, the stove keeps the house plenty warm.

 

[Vibes]

Yea I'm just kicking around getting another one for back up, or to run in the shed. That lantern sounds kinda nice. I'll check into those. I have one of those Big Buddy propane heaters. I luckily bought 3 of those small cylinders just in case I needed them. If I don't use them I'll return them in the spring. I should put them on Ebay. LOL.

 

[greenskeeper]

when i was a kid my parents ran 2 kerosene heaters that worked well. I was always amazed at how long the 2 gallon tank lasted.

 

[mainewoods]

The Toyostove laser monitor is direct vented through the wall. They only draw air from outside the house.

 

[cnice_37]

I have my parents old one. Don't know where to buy kero so I stay cold while tinkering in the basement. Where do you get that stuff?

I would like to get it going again, stop giving me wimpy excuses to not finish projects.

 

[jeff1981]

My bud has a ventless propane in the camp that we hunt at. I see no advantage over my old Kerosun that I used to take up there. In fact I know at todays Propane prices, its much more expensive to run, and you lose the portability factor.

I used to let mine just burn out every time it was run. Never had any smell at all. Minimal when lighting it. Same as a good fire in a woodburner. Get it hot quick and less smoke.

As far as them being dangerous how so? Any fire is dangerous when put in the wrong hands.

What brand do you burn Jeff 1981.

I have a couple- pretty much all the 23,000btu convection heaters are the same now, Korean knockoffs of the Kerosun and Corona. If you can find one, a Corona 23dk is an excellent heater. I got the one in my living room right now on sale at TSC for $99 last year, and it's been great. It's a Dyna Glo. The trick with these things is to take good care of the wick- burn it dry (outside the house) then remove the catalytic unit, raise the wick, light it with a match and allow it to burn off again. Then fill it up, give it an hour of soak time for the wick, and relight. When I was able to get clear K1 I only had to dry burn once a week, with the dyed stuff we have now it's usually 2x per week. The only downside is if you only need a little heat- they burn best at nearly full bore, and can be smelly if you turn them down. Doesn't bother me, I only use it for those really cold nasty nights.

I don't think they are any more dangerous than any other fire. If you google around a bit, you'll find they are used as primary heat in many or most Japanese homes.

Also- dry burning only applies if you have a fiberglass wick. If you dry burn a cotton wick (flame spreader heater) you will ruin it and have to trim your wick. The cotton wicks are not all that common anymore, but I do have an old Kerosun Omni with a flame spreader setup.

 

[Vibes]

That's the information I was looking for Jeff. Thanks!!!

Around Pittsburgh, when I was running Kerosun heaters, there was different grades of K1. All you had to do was put it in a jar and look at the clarity to tell which stations had the best fuel. Gulf oil had the best, hands down! Sunoco's was good, almost real good. Every other station just had the run of the mill Ashland oil kerosene that was the color of cheap wiskey. After a while, the only kero that was around was the Ashland stuff.

I'm going to get another Kero unit when they go on clearance at the end of the heating season. That is if there are any left.

 

[John R]

I used to use one back when Kero was a buck to buck and a half per gallon.
The dogs liked it more than I did, they always laid in front of it anytime it was burning.

 

[mainewoods]

I have my parents old one. Don't know where to buy kero so I stay cold while tinkering in the basement. Where do you get that stuff?

I would like to get it going again, stop giving me wimpy excuses to not finish projects.

Up here some gas stations have a separate kerosene pump set off away from the other pumps. Especially gas stations owned by oil delivery companies.