What to Look For When Buying a Diesel Heater
Diesel heaters, while not in common use, are often favored by campers, people who live or travel to isolated locations and for heating outside sheds or garages. There are many advantages to running a diesel heater. Diesel is very easy to find and it is a relatively cheap fuel. While care needs to be taken when transporting extra diesel fuel, it is generally easily transportable. If you are interested in buying a diesel heater here are a few tips on what to look for.
Look for a heater that burns diesel vapors rather than the diesel itself. You will find that these type of heaters give off a much cleaner and better combustion, and they do not smell like you are burning diesel.
For safety reasons, buy a heater that is guaranteed not to flood. It should also have a valve that prevents diesel from flowing into the burner if the flame goes out, or if the heater is tilted or tipped.
You will need to vent your heater, as it gives off carbon monoxide just a propane heater does. Look for one that is easy to assemble and install, especially the vent. Exhaust stack sections should fit together easily and be a very snug fit so there is no chance of fumes escaping through tiny cracks.
Check the warranty. It should be for at least one year. Try to get a longer warranty if you can, three years is a good length of time. Also, make sure that the heater can be serviced nearby if something goes wrong. You do not want to have to send your heater across the country for servicing. Usually these type of heaters will need servicing approximately every 1,000 hours. If you run your heater for 30 hours a week all through winter and autumn you will probably need to service your heater every couple of years.
Also, make sure the heater is large enough to heat the area it is needed for. You are better off getting a slightly larger heater than you need, which can be run at lower temperatures or for less time, than buying one that is simply too small to provide adequate heat. The retailer you buy your diesel heater from should be able to supply you with recommendations. These recommendations will depend on the area to heat, insulation of the room and outdoor weather conditions. Other things which may reduce the heaters effectiveness and which must be taken into consideration include the altitude at which the heater will be run and how many windows in the home.
