Home & Garden|A GUIDE TO STORING KEROSENE HEATERS
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April 7, 1983
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Section C, Page
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When a kerosene heater is prepared for storage in the spring, several common-sense guidelines should be followed in addition to any specific instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Although a municipal ordinance in New York City prohibits the use of kerosene heaters, New York State allows their sale as long as they bear the testing stamp of Underwriters Laboratories. They are widely used in other parts of the metropolitan area and wherever else in the United States that they are not illegal.
Because kerosene is a flammable fluid, you should remove fuel from the heater outdoors, preferably on a concrete surface. If kerosene is spilled on grass or any vegetation, it will kill it.
A kerosene heater should never be stored with fuel remaining in the unit. According to the National Kerosene Heater Association, kerosene should not be kept more than six months for it tends to collect water.
If you do have fuel left and if your heater has a wick made of fiberglass, take it outdoors and let the heater burn until the flame goes out. You will effectively clean the inside of the heater and the wick.
If your heater has a cotton wick or if you have too much kerosene left over to burn it all, use a siphon pump to remove the fuel. Even though kerosene is a slow-burning fuel, there is a hazard to storing it in and around the house. If it spills and is absorbed by a rug, for example, the rug will act as a wick and can burn readily. Take any leftover kerosene you don't want to keep at home to a gas station, where it can be safely disposed of.
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