Tuesday, April 19, 2011

It is COLD – a real Deep FREEZE out there !

It is COLD – a real Deep FREEZE out there ! 

Imagine this ... your electricity is out of service ... It has happened before ... Right ! 

How do you cook your meals, light or heat your home? 

Consider alternative methods for cooking, lighting and heating.

Examples:
Kerosene heater model # Heat Mate HMHR-1101Ace Hardware ~ $125 – 10,600 BTU’s – heats a 20 x 20 room - The Heat Mate HMHR 1101 uses unpinned wicks, so wicks can be trimmed 1/4" and readjusted higher about 3 times, so each wick should last for about 3 heating seasons.  Suggestions:  Heat only a portion of your home - close doors and use spring tension rods with blankets to close off specific rooms in your home that do not have doors.  Buy and use a carbon monoxide detector for use with any heating appliance.

Kerosene stove model # Alpaca AWCS-85serves as both a heater & stove – www.lehmans.com ~ $85 – 8,500 BTU’s – place a large concrete stepping stone on top to act as a heat sink when you are not cooking.

Christensen Oil Co. (K-1 Clear Kerosene) $3.74 per gallon ...  prices checked November 3, 2009
200 E. 600 S. Provo, UT - (801) 373-7970 - (801) 328-3558

Origo Alcohol Stove / Heater 5100 Heat Pal 5200 BTUs - $146 - www.swego.com
  • Denatured alcohol - $15 per gallon
  • Isopropyl alcohol 91% - $8 per gallon

Additional Required Items:

  • Certified - K-1 Clear Kerosene only – Clear like water not yellowed
  • Purchase blue 5-gallon containers at Home Depot, Lowes, K Mart, Wal-Mart - $10 each – store the kerosene away from your home or garage in a separate “shed”.  Blue represents Kerosene, Red Gas, Yellow Diesel.
  • Also you will need funnels of various sizes, fluid pump or a Baster to transfer the kerosene
  • Extra wicks
  • Extra globes
  • Mason jar - to check for water or containments in the kerosene – water bubbles or floating crud
  • PRI-D or Sta-bil for Diesel extends the shelf life of kerosene
  • Strike anywhere matches at Macey’s - $2.50 for 750 and / or lighters - 50 cents a piece
  • Place the heater / stove in a drip pan and a away from flammable items
  • A few drops of Potpourri Essential Oil will completely mask the kerosene aroma - $1.50 per bottle

Candles:  First CONTAIN the FLAME

During emergencies home fires increase 1100% due to the improper use of candles. 
  • Tea candle lantern – Sportsman’s Warehouse or Recreational Outlet - $6 - $9
  • Tea Candles at Big Lots or Wal-Mart - $5 per one hundred – a Tea candle lasts ~ 3 hours

Dietz kerosene lantern - $15 - http://www.lehmans.com/ - order additional wicks and globes
  • Burns - Kerosene, Ultra Pure liquid paraffin and Klean-Heat.

  • As with any appliance that uses oxygen in the process of combustion, be sure to have at least two windows slightly open (1/2 inch) to provide adequate cross ventilation.
Kerosene heaters operate most efficiently at their maximum heat setting
The capillary action of wicks is virtually destroyed by water; the kerosene is denied a capillary "path" to the top of the wick.  Performance (clean, odor free heat output) is seriously degraded by even a little water in the kerosene.  To circumvent that problem, add a half eyedropper full of 91% alcohol to the tank of fuel before the wick is "burned dry."  The alcohol will absorb the water and burn it off with the kerosene.  The alcohol burns at a higher temperature than kerosene.  If you are using red dye kerosene, using an eyedropper of alcohol every tank full will keep the wick from needing to be burned dry as often
Regular maintenance of kerosene appliances involves care of the wick, the wick raising assembly, plus the main body of the appliance itself.  With regular use, tar will accumulate on the top of the wick and inhibit the burning efficiency.  You will notice a decreased flame height, and you can feel an obvious resistance or drag as the wick is moved up and down.  That signals it is time to burn the wick dry and restore its efficiency.  If you are burning a heater for 12 hours a day, it could require the wick to be burned dry weekly.  If you try to run the appliance on a low heat setting, the wick will become carboned very quickly.
To burn the wick dry, turn off the heater, let it cool, and then take it to the garage or designated draft free burnout area.  Siphon all the fuel from the tank.  Next, remove the catalytic converter unit.  Raise the wick to its maximum height.  Then go around the top edge of the wick squeezing it between thumb and forefinger.  You will feel a "crunching" as you fracture the tar particles.  This only takes a minute, so go around and pinch the wick again.  The smaller the tar particles the more complete they will burn up.  If you have arthritic fingers, you can use paddle bladed pliers with smooth faces.  The fractured tar balls will burn completely.
Reassemble the appliance, raise the wick to maximum height, and light it.  Let it burn completely out.  First the fuel in the wick burns, then the tar, and in a couple of hours the wick is again in pristine condition.  Now the appliance will burn at maximum efficiency for a hundred hours or more until the wick again needs to be burned dry.  If you use a kerosene heater as your main heat source, the wick should be replaced annuallyBe sure to wait for a half hour after refueling the appliance before using it, so the wick may again become saturated with kerosene.
Wick raising (and lowering) assembly:  The wick raising assembly can be carefully scraped and then cleaned with an old toothbrush and kerosene and wiped dry once a year, and that will keep it working for years.  
The Appliance Body:  Virtually all kerosene heaters and stoves are made of steel, either painted or enameled for a pleasant appearance and rust prevention.  When the appliance is being prepared for storage, it should be burned dry, then completely disassembled.  The body of the unit, including the stainless steel reflectors on radiant heaters and stainless steel grillwork on convection heaters, should be cleaned and polished with a good grade of auto polish/cleaner.
Kerosene is NOT like gasoline: it is a lubricant, not corrosive, not volatile, and extremely stable in storage.  If you throw a match into a pool of kerosene the match will drown
It is best to fuel, ignite and extinguish kerosene appliances OUTSIDE – NOT in the area you plan to use them.  Most of the odor is generated during the ignition and extinguishing process.
Water in kerosene:  Water contaminates kerosene and then the stoves do not work correctly.  It is best to remove water and dirt from your fuel before it gets in your tank.  A filter sold by www.Gemplers.com - Item No. G57883 - $19.95 – is designed so that dirt and water cannot pass through the filter.  Dirt and water collects in a bottom receptacle where it can be discarded by you the filter works with gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuels. 

One way to freshen the scent of burning kerosene lamps is to add a few drops of potpourri
essential oil such as vanilla scent it completely mask the distinctive kerosene aroma.
For more information on Kerosene heaters the best person to contact is Bette Miles,
who has done extensive research on heaters
 
Dear Joanne & Michael, 
The amount of disinformation or outright ignorance of kerosene heaters is
amazing.  In the e-mail just after yours in this morning's mail, a fellow sent
me a photo of a beautiful, mint condition Everglo radiant heater.  He got it
for free.  It was sitting on a neighbor's porch covered in snow, waiting for 
the garbage man to pick up.  That heater is worth at least $150.
Another example, because of the ancient buildings involved make 
renovation almost impossible, a vast majority of the people in Holland 
and on the island of Malta use kerosene heaters.  Thirty miles across 
the English Channel, the UK British Standards, all but outlaw kerosene 
heaters as being unsafe.  The State of New York agrees with England - 
kerosene space heaters are outlawed.  Connecticut and Pennsylvania 
have contiguous boarders with NY, and half the people it seems heat
with kerosene heaters, so many that corner service stations have a
pump dispensing 1-K clear kerosene for their convenience.  The 
commonality between NY State and England?  The natural gas industry 
has much more political muscle than kerosene heater stores, so they 
got the competition outlawed!


Kerosene / Carbon Monoxide

Kerosene - you may want to get a CO detector, we purchased a "

mobile" unit from Kidde, that uses 3 AA batteries, so that we 

could take it to camp, in the basement, etc. if need be and recharge

the batteries as needed. Kidde Model # KN-COPP-B.

  1. What CO level is dangerous to your health?
The health effects of CO depend on the level of CO and length of exposure,
as well as each individual's health condition. The concentration of CO is
measured in parts per million (ppm). Health effects from exposure to CO levels
of approximately 1 to 70 ppm are uncertain, but most people will not
experience any symptoms. Some heart patients might experience an increase
in chest pain. As CO levels increase and remain above 70 ppm,
symptoms may become more noticeable (headache, fatigue, nausea).
As CO levels increase above 150 to 200 ppm, disorientation,
unconsciousness, and death are possible.
  1. What should you do if you are experiencing symptoms 
    of CO poisoning?
If you think you are experiencing any of the symptoms of CO
poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Open windows and doors 
for more ventilation, turn off any combustion appliances,
and leave the house. Call your fire department and report
your symptoms. You could lose consciousness and die if you
do nothing. It is also important to contact a doctor immediately f
or a proper diagnosis. Tell your doctor that you suspect CO
poisoning is causing your problems. Prompt medical attention is
important if you are experiencing any symptoms of CO poisoning
when you are operating fuel-burning appliances. Before turning
your fuel-burning appliances back on, make sure a qualified
serviceperson checks them for malfunction.   
                                      
Michael & Joanne Barr


Courtesy of Michael Barr 

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