Paraffin Heaters
Paraffin heaters are portable and can be used asa supplementary heat source, either in the instance of a power cut or where central heating is not suitable. Paraffin is known as kerosene in Australia and in the USA. A variant of the heater, known as a laser heater, is also powered by kerosene and contains many safety features not always seen in paraffin heaters.
Paraffin Heaters
Paraffin heaters consist of a circular wick which is integrated into a burner unit, and this is mounted above a paraffin filled tank. The wick is usually made of fibreglass, and draws up fuel from the paraffin tank. The wick needs to be lit, and it then emits flames into the burner unit. A major difference between paraffin heaters and laser heaters is that the laser heater does not contain a wick.
The burner unit is designed to oxygenate the flames from the wick, and this keeps the flame alight. The temperature of the heater can be controlled by adjusting the height of the flame: the higher the flame, the warmer the temperature. Flame height can be adjusted by lowering or raising the exposed wick. To extinguish the flame the wick needs to be fully lowered into the burner unit.
Paraffin Heater Wicks
The wick in a paraffin heater is usually lit using a battery operated or piezoelectric ignitor. If these fail, the wick can be lit using matches. A piezoelectric ignitor works by pushing a small hammer onto quartz, which creates a spark. This spark ignites the paraffin heater wick. Battery powered ignitors have an electric current which heats a coil of wire. This coil of wire is put close to the wick, and will heat the wick until it is hot enough to catch fire.
Kerosene Heaters
Kerosene heaters are usually used as an extra source of heat, but in some countries they are used as the primary source of heat. Paraffin heaters are particularly popular in Japan, where there is no central heating in homes.
Carbon Monoxide
There are disadvantages to using paraffin heaters. They release combustion products into the air – including soot, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide and some carbon monoxide. When using paraffin heaters indoors it is important to keep windows open a crack to prevent the build up of carbon monoxide. Paraffin heaters can produce massive amounts of carbon monoxide when running out of oxygen. This can lead to asphyxiation and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Improperly fuelled or poorly maintained paraffin heaters release more carbon monoxide, and the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases in poorly ventilated homes. Modern, well insulated houses are usually particularly poorly ventilated so care should be taken if using a paraffin heater indoors.
Vented paraffin heaters can be used, which means they are permanently located on a wall with a flue gas vent. This means any combustion gases go outside which means there is less risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Fire Hazards
Paraffin heaters should not be left unattended as they are a potential fire hazard. They should not be used in locations where there are flammable vapours present, such as in a garage. Animals and children should be kept away from the heaters, and they should not be used in a dusty environment. They should never be refuelled whilst the heater is hot.
Paraffin heaters should only be filled with kerosene. Filling them with gasoline or camp stove fuel poses a significant fire hazard, as they flare up easily. The paraffin tank in a paraffin heater should never be overfilled.