If you are already using a kerosene heater or are considering buying a portable heater, you would like to ensure using them in the correct manner, for lighting or extinguishing your kerosene heater in an incorrect manner can cause problems like deposits of soot and unpleasant odors, and that is a very frustrating experience indeed, making you have second thoughts if it were the right decision to go for this device!
DuraHeat Kerosene Heater Models
When looking for a kerosene heater for domestic use, you need to ensure that you are buying the right kind of heater which should solve the purpose you intend buying it for. If you are going to use it for heating your garage, you need to procure one with a higher BTU (British thermal unit), the measure of heat energy. On the other hand, if you intend using it for heating your home and thus reduce energy expense, you should be buying one with a lower BTU, compared to the one required for your garage. I have a DuraHeat kerosene heater of 23,000 BTU and that suffices to heat the whole house.
How to Properly Use a DuraHeat Kerosene Heater
A big concern for the users of a kerosene heater is the strong unpleasant smell of kerosene fumes that are emitted while you are filling it with kerosene and also while you ignite or extinguish the same. The ideal way to avoid all three problems is to carry the respective activities out in the open. You should be performing all three activities outside the garage or home at a well ventilated place.
Filling Your Kerosene Heater
Here are the instructions for using DuraHeat DH2304 Model. You may check the instructions provided by the manufacturers of other models.
Make sure that the kerosene used for the purpose is always clear like water, and nothing short of that.
1. Heater should always be filled in a well ventilated place, as already mentioned. Insist on using a funnel for filling so that spilling is eliminated altogether. If kerosene is spilled, you’ll continue to be affected by its smell for a long time. Perhaps, you would have already noticed that cats like that flavor! So, be watchful of that.
2. Having thus filled the heater, allow the fuel to get settled for a while before you ignite the heater. If you are filling a new heater for the first use, it’s important to follow the instructions that come along with the heater. It takes a bit longer for the new wick to get soaked in kerosene. Accidental spills, if any, should be wiped clean promptly to avoid strong odor of oil.
Lighting Your Kerosene Heater
DuraHeat models generally have an electronic ignition that uses batteries, meaning you don’t need electric current or matches for lighting the heater. It’s a very simple and straight procedure. But ignore the precaution of lighting it in a well ventilated or open space.
1. Open the little door, just under the heater window; press on the ignition handle positioned at the base. You will find a tiny coil that glows red right away.
2. Next, rotate the wick knob under that opening so that the wick goes up to meet the coil. Within a few seconds of their touching the ignition takes place.
3. Release the ignition handle and you’ll see a metal cylinder dropping down to block the flame. The cylinder has a spring like piece attached to it, known as pigtail burner handle. Grasp the handle and move it from side to side, thus ensuring that the cylinder properly fits in its place. Otherwise it could cause smoke.
4. Close that tiny door and allow it burn for a few minutes before you bring it indoors.
Extinguishing Your Kerosene Heater
While the heater is still working, bring it out to an adequately ventilated area. It’ll be good and desirable to take it to your garage or outside on a patio or deck, otherwise the house gets filled up with smoke and bad odor.
1. Tightly hold the wick knob. Push the shutoff knob down.
2. Gradually rotate the wick knob so that wick is lowered and the flame gets extinguished. It’s important to grip the wick knob while pressing down the shut off knob; else the wick will simply drop down, releasing odor and smoke.
3. Even after you have lowered the wick to its minimum level, the flame will continue for a while. Just ensure that it’s extinguished completely.
Safety Recommendations
* Always use only 1-K Kerosene that’s clear like water.
* Don’t ever undertake filling of heater indoors.
* Fill the heater only when it’s completely extinguished and is not hot.
* Always light and extinguish the heater indoors.
* Never leave the heater unattended.
It’s imperative to have a carbon monoxide detector in working order in the room where the heater is kept.