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Kerosene Appliance Safety
Al Colombo
Kerosene appliances are a great source of alternate heat when the electricity fails or the oil or gas man fails to fill your tank on time. When handled wrong, kerosene appliances can also cause burns or house fires if you do not observe the rules of the road. Take a few minutes to read the following list of dos and don'ts so you do not end up a statistic in the literature published by the National Fire Protection Association.
DO use pure kerosene in your appliances, such as ASTM 1-K. Any other grade of kerosene can cause sooting or worse, a fire.
DO use a properly approved container marked with the word KEROSENE.
DO keep all cans of kerosene in a dry, cool, well ventilated area outside the living quarters.
DO keep kerosene out of the reach of children.
DO refuel your kerosene appliances out of doors in a well ventilated area.
DO use your kerosene appliances only in well ventilated areas. Keep the door to adjacent rooms open for a fresh supply of air.
DO place kerosene heaters a minimum of 3 feet from combustible materials.
DO extinguish your kerosene appliances before retiring for the night.
DO allow your kerosene appliances to cool off before you attempt to move or maintain it.
DO only use replacement wicks that the manufacturer of your kerosene appliance recommends.
DO NOT use an alternate fuel. Any other fuel buty K-1 can cause a fire.
DO NOT use red containers or containers in which other types of fuel have been previously stored.
DO NOT attempt to refuel your kerosene appliance when it is still operating or is still hot to the touch.
DO NOT use your kerosene appliances in rooms that are tight where air cannot easily flow into the room. If necessary, crack a window so fresh air can flow into the room.If the air seems stuffy or hot, turn the heater off immediately.
DO NOT use your kerosene appliance in high-traffic areas, such as hallways or doorways.
DO NOT leave the room for any length of time when there is a kerosene appliance in use.
DO NOT fire up your kerosene appliance in rooms where dust or other types of flammable vapors may be present.
DO NOT use your kerosene appliance in multi-family dwellings, unless 1) there is an adequate place to store kerosene, and 2) it is expressely permitted by local and state code.
DO NOT use your kerosene appliance in a moving vehicle, such as a truck or truck-bed camper when it is in motion.
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