subject: A Comparison of - Cotton Kerosene Heater Wicks vs. Kerosene Heater Fiberglass Wicks [print this page] A Comparison of - Cotton Kerosene Heater Wicks vs. Kerosene Heater Fiberglass Wicks
It is that time of year again. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer and the temperature is getting colder. This also means the electric bill or the oil bill is going up and your spirits are going down. A tried and true way to heat your home is with a kerosene heater. If it were not for kerosene heaters, Americans may not have survived the flu pandemic that swept around the world after World War I. People were able to stay home and stay warm through the duration of the pandemic. Many people are cautious of using a kerosene heater because of safety concerns. Over the years kerosene heaters have become more reliable and safer. If used properly there should be no issues about using these heaters. As a society we are concerned about sustainability and economic security. Kerosene heaters have up to a 99% fuel efficiency rating. If you don't already have a heater you may not need to buy one. If you're lucky you have an older family member that already owns a kerosene heater. You may need to replace the kerosene heater wick and you're not sure which one you need to buy. There are tons of options out there, but there is also a choice between all-cotton and fiberglass. Here is what you should know about each one. An all cotton wick contains no fiberglass at all. The reason we have all-cotton wicks was the invention of the first Moonlighter heater. Essentially it was a modernized, miniaturized Perfection heater system. This first generation lacked safety features like the safety grill that extends over the top of the heater. If you have a flame spreader heater then you would want to buy an all-cotton wick. You'll get the most heat with an all-cotton in this system. The draw back to using an all cotton wick is that it will burn " or more every time if it is allowed to burn dry or run out of fuel. This means you will have to replace your wick as often as once a month. If any water gets into your kerosene then this type of wick will not burn. You can add a drop of 91% or 95% alcohol to the fuel and it will cause the water to evaporate. If your wick gets wet then you can soak it in alcohol and let it air dry.
A fiberglass wick has fiberglass fibers mated to the top and a cotton filament on the bottom. The fiber glass does not burn and the lower cotton section provides the capillary action needed to burn. The fiberglass causes tar balls to accumulate at the top. This means you will have to clean this wick. To do this let the wick burn dry and the residue will burn off. A fiber glass wick should last the entire winter heating season if cared for properly.
In my opinion, an all cotton wick will burn hotter, but a fiber glass wick will last longer. It may be best to keep several of each on hand. If you are in need of Kerosene Heater Wicks or other kerosene heater parts or accessories try www.woodstove-outlet.com . They carry a nice selection of wicks, igniters and accessories for most of the popular brands of kerosene heaters.
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