Topic: Parafin Heaters

[Garden Manager]

I have a small 'Parasene' heater for my greenhouse. Having had it on a fair bit during the recent cold spell, i noticed the fuel seemed to be going down a lot quicker than it did with similar usage last winter.  I then remembered advice about trimming the wick and decided to do so.

Having trimmed the wick I am now wondering if doing so will make a difference to fuel consumption, or maybe that NOT doing so has a negative effect on rate of consumption.

I am also wondering how often you should idealy or realisticaly trim the wick. I have to confess that having bought the heater last January, this was the first time i had done it since! (PS: it is still the original wick too.)

Anyone any thoughts on this please?

How do those amoungst you with parafin heaters get on with maintainance and management of your heaters?

[RW]

Im afraid that i do not have any answers but like to add another question. I have an old parafin heater and never used it in the greenhouse.

How much does it cost to use it? How long does the parafin last?

Thanks and regards

[Mrs Ava]

Hmm, I used a parafin heater in my last greenhouse, and never ever trimmed the wick and it seemed to just carry on regardless.  :-\  I didn't notice it using more or less fuel, especially considering if it was going to be really really cold I turned the wick out more for more heat so the fuel useage varied anyhows.....  I got so fed up with parrafin as I seemed to be buying it weekly and if it ran out in the middle of a very cold night, well, all that hard work keeping the house heated was wasted!  I guess my spend back then - about 3 or 4 years ago, was about a fiver a week.