Anyone have experience with indoor kerosene or propane space heaters?

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SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
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Thinking of buying a space heater for my house. We really use a small portion of the house at any one time.
I get killed with blown electric heat in my house.. like 5 hundred + dollars a month in peak season.

I talked with someone a few months ago who had a kerosene heater and it worked great for them.. almost too good, and had absurdly low heating costs.

I want to be able to turn the home heat on ultra low and run the heater in the room we are using.

Anyone experienced with them? Safety? I have heard they have huge improvement with safety.

Of course, I need a good CO detector. Anything else I should consider.

This is not a situation where I want to invest in a permanent / installed system. Likely looking at another 1-2 years at max at the current home.


I grew up in an area where a lot of trailer parks and "apartments" above garages supplied their heat with old kerosene heaters and remember people dying every year from CO poisoning so I know the importance of CO dectectors.

I am also aware of the propane "fireplace" units. I just can't see the point of a 300 dollar investment, that is unless someone can sell me on why they are safer/better/more efficient.
 
S

SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
81
I dont think that's true at all.
All the major appliance/hardware stores have these stocked for indoor use or emergency or supplemental heat.
 
S

SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
81
KB said:
I have this one
http://www.amazon.com/Dura-Heat-DH2304-Convection-Kerosene/dp/B000ITQ5DY

I have used mine for many years and feel they are very safe as long as you use fresh kerosene and new wicks. My only problem with it is there is no low setting, even at the lowest flame it produces tons of heat and i use a fan to disperse it to other rooms.

My
Click to expand...
The guy I previously talked to had the same complaint. He ran it in his finished basement and let the heat travel to the rest of the house.

His exact words were something like it has 3 settings: Hot, Fucking Hot, and Unbelievably Fucking Hot.
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
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Growing up, we used one one year - I hated the occasional kerosene smell in the house. I assume the newer ones are better. I have a few friends who have installed the ventless propane heaters. Those who use them to keep one room warm - it's very comfortable. Those who use them as a more or less primary heat source - feels very humid in the house. (Since the product of combustion = CO2 + H2O, this is obvious.
 
J

JasonCoder

Golden Member
Feb 23, 2005
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DrPizza said:
Growing up, we used one one year - I hated the occasional kerosene smell in the house. I assume the newer ones are better. I have a few friends who have installed the ventless propane heaters. Those who use them to keep one room warm - it's very comfortable. Those who use them as a more or less primary heat source - feels very humid in the house. (Since the product of combustion = CO2 + H2O, this is obvious.
Click to expand...

This. At least around 10 years ago they stunk unbelievably bad.
 
Elixer

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,371
762
126
Uncle has a kerosene unit, and while better than they were, you have to keep fuel around, and it isn't fun. He then got a ceramic unit, and they are much better for inside use. He also got a parabolic heater for use in the garage, and loves it.

He still uses the kerosene unit, but only in his hunting lodge, where there is no electricity.
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
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They are fine when new and in a pinch, but for long term use... if you don't keep up on the maintenance they can become smelly and dangerous quick.

But if you're really spending $500 on electricity per month you could probably just buy a new one every month and still come out ahead....
 
JoeBleed

JoeBleed

Golden Member
Jun 27, 2000
1,408
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It's been over 20 years sense i grew up with one. that was a primary heat source for us when i grew up from what i remember. the smell of kero didn't bother me. I like it and diesel fuel smell. brings back memories.

But yea, get a good CO detector or 3. we never had any problems because my dad was good at maintenance with it. one of my uncles had one and apparently wasn't. his wife and new born daughter almost died. I do not remember if it was a kero heater or another type of gas heater. something in it messed up. they were found passed out. i can't remember, but i think i heard they were awake by the time the ambulance got there. they stayed a night or two in the hospital for observation and monitoring of blood/oxygen levels. His wife didn't even notice the slowly exhaustion happening due to lack of oxygen. It's a scary thought/situation. It's hard for me to remember the time line right, but this may have been what pushed my dad to move away from the kero heater we had.

One thing i remember reading about a few years ago when a friend asked me the same thing was they make a better kero fuel to use in indoor heaters. Spoused to help with the smell and burn better/cleaner. I don't remember if he ever got one and used it, so i can't say for sure how it went. we did find a place that sold that kind of kero if i remember correctly.

As one other poster mentioned though, there are other options for individual room heaters. they recommended a ceramic one. i've never tried them, but my ex gf had one of the radiator/oil type heaters. it worked very well. Didn't notice much of a spike in cost of the electric bill when in use. much cheaper at the time than trying to heat the house anywhere near a comfortable level for her...
 
Ken g6

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
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S

SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
81
Ken g6 said:
Sounds like you need more efficient electric heating.



Raise the value of the home?
Click to expand...

This house has already turned into a money pit. New Roof, new gutters, pumbling had to be screwed with,
The electric blew out completely last year (I talked with the electrician at the time and he thought the heating was so bad because of the elevtric and I may notice an improvement - I didnt').

I'm keeping an eye out thsi week. Hoping maybe to pickup a deal on something.
 
J

jpiniero

Lifer
Oct 1, 2010
15,379
5,890
136
My understanding is that electric heat pumps lose efficiency very quickly when the outside air is below 40 degrees unless it's ground source (?) which is I think is super expensive (like 20k installed). So it's only really good for moderate climates where the weather only briefly gets near freezing.
 
sao123

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,653
205
106
I've been burning a kero heater for the last decade as a secondary heater.
I love them
 
Linux23

Linux23

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
11,335
709
126
KB said:
I have this one
http://www.amazon.com/Dura-Heat-DH2304-Convection-Kerosene/dp/B000ITQ5DY

I have used mine for many years and feel they are very safe as long as you use fresh kerosene and new wicks. My only problem with it is there is no low setting, even at the lowest flame it produces tons of heat and i use a fan to disperse it to other rooms.

My
Click to expand...

we used one when we used to stay a few weeks in south carolina and it got chilly. i honestly don't know why we are still alive because we operated that thing with all windows closed. and this was 20+ years ago.
 
OutHouse

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
my friends parents used a kerosene heater in the basement every winter (mid 1980's) they kept two windows cracked on opposite ends of the basement and had a C02 detector. never had a problem and as others have said they can heat up a room very well and make it humid.

as long as you take precautions they are safe.
 
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