How To SAFELY Use Kerosene Heaters Indoors (Owner’s Tips)

Dominic Mitton
By Dominic  • Reviewed by Ben  • Updated:   December 5, 2023
Affiliate disclosure: When you buy a product via our links, we sometimes earn a referral fee. Learn more

Kerosene heaters are a great option for heating interiors, but you might wonder if they’re safe.

The short answer is – yes.

Still, you must take certain precautions to use a kerosene heater inside your home safely.

You’ll discover all the tips to guarantee safety for everyone in your home, but let’s first reveal what you might not know about kerosene heaters.

What’s interesting about kerosene heaters is that they don’t need electricity, so you can start them manually even if the ignitor fails.

Kerosene is the most economical fossil fuel and is much more affordable than wood-burning inserts.

If you’re looking for a more efficient kerosene heater that can heat smaller and bigger rooms, the one below is for you.

Best Kerosene Heater: Mr. Heater MH75KTR

Our Pick
Mr. Heater Kerosene Heater
$285.42
Buy Now on Amazon Buy Now on Walmart
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
02/28/2024 04:42 pm GMT

Mr.Heater is currently the best kerosene heater on the market, with everything you need.

It can operate on a full tank for more than 11 hours and is very efficient, with a 75,000 BTU output.

Believe me, it won’t take long for this beast to heat the whole room (or even the house).

How To Safely Use Kerosene Heater Indoors

Always frequently service your heater

This might sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many people forget to maintain their kerosene heaters.

If there’s any kind of leaking or error, you’ll quickly notice and fix it before it can cause severe damage.

You should maintain it regularly because kerosene heaters emit more carbon monoxide than any other type of heater.

My advice is to service it every 4-6 months.

Air out the room

Whether heating a smaller or bigger room, you should always allow fresh air.

You can open windows occasionally, but we suggest always leaving the door open so the air can come through.

It’s not recommended to heat the rooms that don’t have windows. Another thing worth mentioning is using a filter to lower carbon monoxide emissions.

Never place it close to furniture

As with other heaters or electric fireplaces, you should never place it close to furniture that can catch fire – such as sofas, beds, curtains, etc.

Also, never put anything over a heater. This is common sense, yet many times, the most essential things are what causes a fire.

Never blend with other fuel types

Kerosene fuel isn’t dangerous when used on its own. However, you should never blend it with different fuel types as it can cause hazards.

Even when you store the fuel (which we’ll cover later), ensure that the container or tank has not been used for any other fuel type.

When different fuel types are blended, it can damage the heater, making it less efficient and increasing the safety risk.

Install a smoke detector

If there’s one thing I’d like you to remember from this article, it would be this one.

When you have a smoke or carbon monoxide detector, you’ll be alerted before any more serious damage happens.

I’m a bit paranoid, so I immediately bought this smoke detector when I first got in touch with kerosene heaters. Believe me, it does give you an extra feeling of security at night.

Our Pick
FIRST ALERT BRK SC9120FF Hardwired Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector with Battery Backup
$34.88
Buy Now on Amazon
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
02/28/2024 12:48 pm GMT

How To Store Your Kerosene Heater Safely in The Spring/Summer?

When storing a kerosene heater in the fall or summer, you must discard all the fuel from the tank. Kerosene changes chemically and spoils over the summer, so you shouldn’t use the same kerosene in fall/winter.

Most likely, the wick will be dirty, so clean it appropriately. Once you’re done with it, clean the heater and discard batteries if you’ve been using it for a while.

Place your unit in a dust-free container and keep it there during the summer. Another thing you can use is the box your heater came in – if you haven’t thrown it.

Remember to fill the tank with fresh kerosene when you take it out of storage in the fall.

I recommend reading the user manual for more safety features the manufacturer mentioned.

If you have friends or family members using kerosene heaters, share this article with them to keep them safe and educated.

Hey there! I am Benas, the founder and content editor at Home Caprice. Thanks for reading the article. I hope you were able to find what you were looking for. I and my team are here to simplify heating and cooling for everyone. Please have a look at the About page for more details about our website and feel free to check out our editorial process.