A couple years back I was brought a kerosene fueled space heater to repair. The owner said that the fire was burning much larger than it should and he thought it needed an adjustment or a new wick.

When I took the heater apart to check it out, I immediately noticed a strong odor of gasoline which took me back a bit as I thought of just how fortunate the owner was that the heater did not explode in his home while he slept.

I immediately called the owner and told them what I had found and that I had gone through the heater and repaired it so it was ready to use. Later that evening I delivered the heater and inspected his kerosene containers to make sure there was no gasoline in them. As it turns out, his girlfriend had made the kerosene run and did not realize the difference in the two fuels.

If you use kerosene space heaters, always be sure you use K1 grade kerosene and store it in a proper kerosene container to avoid the possibility of mixing fuels. If possible, use undied kerosene. Kerosene heaters should be properly serviced annually to ensure they are opperating at peak performance. Just one malfunction from a neglected heater or using the wrong fuel can cause severe damage to your home or even loss of life. Gasoline introduced into the tank of a kerosene heater is an explosion waiting to happen and will almost always engulf a home in flames within seconds.

The best way to heat with kerosene is to invest in a direct-vent kerosene wall furnace such as the monitor or laser models. Their vented high-efficiency design will keep you warm with low consumption rates while ensuring the dangerous toxins are exhausted to the outdoors.