It has been found that the majority of heating related fires are caused by kerosene heaters. In these cases it was found that more often the fire was caused by misuse or abuse of the kerosene heater rather than a problem with the heater itself. The first thing you should do with any type of back up heating options, such as kerosene heaters is to read and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
To choose a kerosene heater you should keep these things in mind:
Be sure the heater that you purchase has a UL (underwriters laboratory) listing.
Choose a heater that has an automatic safety switch that switches the heater off automatically if there is an event in which the heater gets tipped over.
Some special features that are handy: An automatic starter that will eliminate the need for matches, a fuel gauge to help ensure you do not overfill the heater as overfilling can be dangerous, a safety grill to help prevent contact burns.
Be sure that you have a smoke alarms and a carbon monoxide detector in your home.
Always take care of your wick and know how to change your kerosene heater wick.
When refueling your heater, you need to wait until your heater has cooled and refill it outside. If you refill a heater when it is hot or still burning it can start a fire. Use only crystal-clear k1 kerosene in your kerosene heater.
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