My husband and I have a small house - about 1100 square feet. It's just the two of us. Our heating system in our house uses propane and the last time we had our tank filled (about a month ago ) it was $3.70/gallon. Yikes.

We've been using a kerosene heater for several years - works fine. But I'm tired of going to the gas station so often to fill up on kerosene - and sometimes the gas stations are out of kerosene and then we have to go hunting around for it.

So I got what I thought was a bright idea. I put an ad in the paper that I needed a used fuel oil tank. New ones cost about $190 last time I checked.

I was successful and got one for free! Took a lot of work to get it out of the basement of the guy who gave it to us, but we got it. It's set up outside near our shed.

That was a year and a half ago. Last winter we still had to fill up those blue 5 gallon containers from the gas station.

Why? Well because my husband, who is a very intelligent man, is a little pokey in the household repairs area. He kept saying he'd tap the tank and never did. So I thought I'd be bold and call someone to do it. I did and a guy came out to do tap it. Sixty bucks later, I thought I was ready to go!

Well, there is a little bit of oil left over in the tank - I thought I'd just buy a few gallson of kerosene and and let it mix and then drain it and use the mixture if we needed to start any fires.

My first question is this: the guy who tapped it for me said just to put the kerosene in there, no need to drain what was already in there, that it would mix and be just fine. Anyone know if that's an accurate statement?

The other hold up for me getting kerosene delivered in bulk is my husband. He contends that the kerosene will go bad if any air gets into the tank. As I understand it, you need some air in the tank so it will flow out... but how much? And will the kerosene go bad? How quickly?

There is a pipe on top that is open - I guess that's where it originally attached to the heating system in the house. Can I just get some type of plug for that and be on my way?? Or is there something I'm missing?

This is just a sore subject between my husband and me now and I've just quit mentioning anything about it. Luckily it's been unusually warm here lately (Pennsylvania), so there wasn't really any cause to mention it... but I know winter is gonna be knocking soon - and I'd like to be prepared... and warm.

I just don't know what steps to take now.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks, Shannan

-- Shannan (JanuaryGem2@aol.com), October 13, 2001

Answers

fuel oil, and keronsene arent too far apart,, so 5 GAl dilutes with over 100 gal of K-1 wont hurt it,, put I would drain it, just to get teh sludge out. You would need to stabilize the k1,, most hardware stores will have something for it,, make sure you get the stuff or deisel/fuel oil. BUying it in bilk may be a problem,, call some heating oil companys,see if they carry it, someone has to.there should be some type of vent hole on the top of the tank, make sure no water gets inside it. Ive recently done the same thing for deisel fuel,, got a free tank, and was getting fuel from work. Have some to place me most of the winter now

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), October 13, 2001.

Shannan, I also live in PA. Depending on whereyour at there are many fuel companies that have kerosine and also will inspect your tank. Up until last year we were heating with kerosine because I think it burns cleaner then #1 fuel oil, this year we switched back just because it was so much cheaper. Never did anything to the tanks as far as draining or cleaning. If you want you can email me with your location and if you are around my area I can give you the names of the oil co we use.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), October 13, 2001.

you can buy bulk from heating companys, the ones that deliver fuel oil for furnaces. I don't know what part of Pa. you are from, but southern states delivers.There are cheaper places. Look under fuel oil,check prices,ask for kerosene and if they carry white or yellow. white burns cleaner. All tanks are not built the same, your pipe could be your overflow vent and/or air exchange,{air vent is needed to let the fuel run in} there is a little cap that has 2 tips extended down from cap that you squeeze and put in top of pipe, this keeps water out.some have a gage on top, there should be a place to put the kero in too, as i said it would depend on how many pipes on top. drain your tank. The best reason is; fuel oil has sediments that can clog your wick, better safe than sorry. The connection for a heating oil tank is mostly at the bottom, now if I said all were at the bottom, there just might be one at the top. I will say tho that all of the ones we had were at the bottom for gravity or pump to run the oil in the furnace,even with the gun type, which is the safest. If I remember the weather up there right, I don't think you will have any problem with storage. We buy and store kero, {not near the house} and have used it the next year. so far no problem. keep tank in shade or in building if possible, darkness helps to maintain life. Lexi

-- Lexi Green (whitestone11@hotmail.com), October 13, 2001.

If I as you I would check on the price of LP now. I think you will find it is back down where it should be. That way they will deliver and all you have to do is use it and I think it is a lot cleaner and don't have the smell of oil.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), October 13, 2001.

My DH and I have been investigating getting a kerosene space heater and looked into storage. From what we read, kerosene is very stable and most recommended no treatment. Others said that stabil works if you're worried about it. Others mentioned an additive made especially for it. Don't recall the name, the info was a google search on Usenet's misc.survivalism. We didn't figure on treating it ourselves.

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), October 13, 2001.

Stabil is an excellent fuel stabilizer, although K-1 from the fuel co- op will keep for years just fine. We have stored and used K-1 stored for two years and experienced no problems. Seal off the top opening with lots of my favorite homestead tool, duct tape!!!!!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), October 14, 2001.

I wanted to thank everyone for their insights into the fuel oil tank being used for kerosene.

To make a long story short, I've just given up - my husband is being difficult about this, won't help me level the thing and I just give up. It's another year of lugging 5 gallon containers to the gas station I guess. =-(

-- Shannan (januarygem2@aol.com), October 15, 2001.