Are paraffin stoves safe?

Stove paraffin is a very effective fuel for generating heat and raising the temperature of a room relatively quickly. However, the stoves that use this fuel have a couple of details that should be reviewed before considering purchasing one for the home or office.

In order to make it easier to understand why a paraffin or kerosene stove is put to the test in terms of the safety of its use, we advise you to take the time to learn what paraffin oil is and the side effects that it could generate. due to its combustion.

Paraffin, what is it?

Odorless paraffin is obtained from oil or coal and is converted into a hydrocarbon, which is then used as fuel, taking advantage of its high caloric potential.

It can be found in solid or liquid presentation and, as mentioned, it does not have an odor or taste when it is at room temperature. Besides, it is capable of generating a relatively clean combustion and with little or no smoke.

However, the mishandling of kerosene stoves is toxic for those who are exposed to the accumulation of gases emitted due to combustion, so one of the main recommendations is to maintain an air outlet for as long as it is burning. want to use the machine and be aware of the CO2 indicators, to prevent them from reaching levels that represent a health hazard.

However, it is important to mention that paraffin stoves can currently be found that generate much less CO2 than previous models, being safer to use in all types of spaces.

How do paraffin stoves work?

The operation of this type of stove is based entirely on paraffin. Inside is a wick, which is installed on a base with access to the removable fuel tank.

When you want to activate the stove, remove the tank to fill it with liquid fuel. Then put it back and wait a couple of minutes to allow the wick to soak up the fuel.

After the time, turn on the stove and this will generate a spark inside that will light the wick with paraffin. This, being full of fuel, can remain on for several hours , depending on the configuration that you have established in the equipment. 

To avoid accidents, the entire system is housed in a casing with a grille and they are usually relatively compact in size and easy to handle, allowing you to enjoy heat in almost every room in the home.

Types of paraffin stove

Within the category of kerosene stoves, two types can be classified, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages, so we invite you to review them below:

• Wick paraffin stove

This type of stove is one of the most popular due to its ease of use. Besides, it should be noted that it does not require electricity to work, so it can be taken camping, for example.

The wick kerosene stove has a tank that is loaded with liquid paraffin for stoves that, in turn, soaks the aforementioned wick, to generate combustion and heat.

However, it must be taken into account that this type of equipment does not offer a temperature regulating thermostat, which could be uncomfortable for some users. In addition, the wick of the paraffin stove must be changed relatively frequently, which poses a risk due to the handling of fuel.

• Electronic paraffin oven

In the case of an electronic paraffin stove, it also uses kerosene for stoves, but with the difference that the digital system allows temperature regulation . This allows you to customize the operation of the stove, to adapt it to the temperature of the environment and, of course, to your comfort.

However, the disadvantage of this type of model is that it must remain connected to the power for as long as you want to keep it on. This generates additional electricity consumption that could be saved with a wick stove. In turn, it should be noted that the maintenance of the electronic paraffin stove is a little easier compared to that required by the wick models, since it does not have to be changed as often.

Dangers of using stovetop paraffin

Now that we have a much clearer idea of ​​what a kerosene stove is, how it works and what fuel it uses, we can take a closer look at the disadvantages and thus decide whether it is worth buying one or not:

• fuel handling

Considering that a paraffin stove works with fuel, this carries all the risks related to its handling. On the other hand, if you consider how long the wick of a paraffin stove lasts and check the regularity of its replacement, you will notice that you will be exposed to the aforementioned handling of fuel more than you would imagine.

• Purification

Kerosene for stoves is a derivative of petroleum, which is why, if it has not gone through an adequate purification process, it may contain traces of it and if the paraffin stove does not light easily, you may have to check its purity.

•  toxic components

When analyzing candles made with paraffin, it was possible to verify the presence of harmful substances with potentially carcinogenic effects, so they must be handled with care.

• Particle shedding

This disadvantage applies more than anything to paraffin wick stoves, since the combustion of this piece can lead to the production of particles that will be released into the environment.

• Elevation of CO2 levels

When using any paraffin stove, it is important to be aware of variations in CO2 levels in the environment. This type of system raises these parameters due to combustion and its accumulation can be dangerous.