I've had both, and the fire problems spooked me enough to be extra careful and the stink from the soot and gases was terrible. Fire was a serious problem with the radiant types. Household use largely because of the soot and carbon monoxide problems. Even so, in our home, we only use our kerosene heater if there is a prolonged power outage when temps are below freezing (maybe once every five years)Ģ5. Manufacturer now recommends you light them outside and turn them off outside. To minimize the unpleasant kerosene odor you have to use very pure kerosene (not always available) and keep the wicks maintained correctly and have some outside air coming in to prevent breathing problems. But every winter here there are reports of fires from kerosene heaters, usually because people aren't careful enough and mix up their gas and kerosene containers. I see more electric and propane space heaters now. Nearly everyone I know had (and probably still has) a kerosene heater for supplemental or emergency use but the odor and fumes limit their popularity. Kerosene space heaters were very commonplace here in NC back when kerosene was much cheaper than electricity or gas and before there were newer types of electric and propane heaters available. So the NG could vary: 100% = $14.60 per MBTU (like ventless natural gas fireplace) 96% = $15.20 per MBTU (top central heat furnace) 90% = $16.20 per MBTU (good central heat furnace) 80% = $18.25 per MBTU (minimum new central heat furnace) 70% = $20.85 per MBTU (older furnaces currently in use) If you have the model a model that is 90% efficient is recommended, and top models are 96% efficient. Older furnaces were bad only about 70% efficient, and today all new models must be at least 80% efficient. However a furnace vents outside the house for some heat is lost. Now something that is ventless (like ventless gas logs, or NG heater) will result in a 100% transfer of energy. For Natural Gas: $15 per 1Mcf (1 Mcf = 100,000 cu feet, NG sold by 100K cu feet unit). We use MBTU because it allows us to compare various methods of producing heat. It takes 7.4 gallons of Kerosene to produce 1 MBTU. This assumes 100% energy transfer which would be the case for internal ventless system. The math in case you care: Kerosene generates 135,000 BTU per gallon.
Just look at these little beauties: ġ. The first patient in a hospital I ever cared for back in the 60s Can someone explain to me: -Given market pressures why are they so unknown in the US? What is keeping the genie in the bottle so to speak. They burn a type of kerosene called K-1 kerosene. Here is a Japanese "Fan Heater" I find it odd that no one is buying them in the US despite the rising cost of fuel (wood, gas, electric and oil). Called "Fan Heaters" in Japanese, apparently they are called "Laser Heaters" now in English, but they are essentially unavailable. In recent years, the have become modern indeed. I have lived in Japan for many years where they are ubiqitous. Likewise there are kerosene heaters and then there are much more advanced ones that virtually eliminate the dangers of kerosene heaters. But there is kerosene and there is kerosene. You will see kerosene heating as something done only out in the country, in ice-fishing huts, for emergencies, etc. If you do a search for kerosene heaters, you will see a lot of very low-tech, old looking devices. Among the dangers are chiefly CO2 poisoning and (fire?).
I believe it is illegal in 2 states (Mass and Michigan?) to heat with kerosene. The subject, broadly, is heating with kerosene.
Let me explain briefly and just let the brilliant DU community get to work. Have I stumbled upon a conspiracy of some kind? Perhaps someone can help me understand what seems to be a very major oddity.