How to Keep a Kerosene Heater From Smelling

During the cold winter months, your heating bill can increase dramatically. A kerosene heater can help warm your home while lowering your heating bill. Kerosene heaters are a relatively inexpensive alternative to the high cost of home heating. Improper use of these heaters, however, can create soot, odor and a fire hazard. Fortunately, you can maintain your kerosene heater.

• 1

  Use odorless kerosene in your heater. It typically costs more than the other type of kerosene it will have less of an odor when burning.

• 2

  Fill the heater with high-quality kerosene. The quality of kerosene can affect the odor. Kerosene that has high sulfur content or is low quality cannot burn at the temperatures produced by the heater. This will cause hydrocarbons that cannot burn to build up on the wax, causing the odor.

• 3

  Wipe spilled or dripped kerosene off the outside of the heater as soon as possible. Kerosene spilled on the outside of the heater will produce an odor as it gets out. Spills also present a fire hazard.

• 4

  Set the heater on a high temperature setting. Keeping the kerosene heater on a low setting will create an unpleasant odor.

• 5

  Keep the wick setting high. If the wick is too low, it will produce an odor as well as soot. The proper wick height depends on the make and model of the heater. Refer to your heater's instruction manual for more information on proper wick height.