Why is kerosene so expensive?

[hockeyhead]

I've pretty much decided not to go with a ventless natural gas heater.
#1 issue against it is the high humidity I'm told they create. I have a lot of expensive tools in that garage, and moisture aka. rust has been a problem in the past, don't want to add a problem.
#1A possible fire hazard stated here and elsewhere.
So now I'm looking for a vented natural gas heater. The install will be much more involved, but worth it in the long run.
I'm not willing to spend $1000 on the heater, so I will bide my time in finding something that will work. I have some issues to work out in planning the location of the heater, gas line, venting, as my orginal location will not let me vent it outside unless I go through the roof. which it probably will be vented through the roof, but at that spot it will be in the way of my attic walkway, and getting a gas line to an other area will mean a tearout of drywall or running the line on exposed along the wall.
Compare to what some are paying for kerosene I don't feel so as bad paying $3.50/gal.

thanks for your input

 

[LBrown59]

Think it's high because it's a low volume specialty product. It's probably less expensive to produce than diesel now that it's ULSD. Don't think it has the taxes that either diesel or gasoline have either.

Ralph

Here sales tax is added onto the kero pump price .
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[davemhughes]

Have you looked into "Infra-red" heaters? Been reading about how energy efficient they are suposed to be given the size rooms they heat compared to other heating options.

 

[dknarnd]

Here in NE PA at the pump K1 clear kerosene is around $2.75 per gallon. I use it in a 200,000BTU torpedo heater to heat my garage on weekends when I am at that location. I had an old mobil home on a piece of property that I bought several years ago and last year I tore it apart but kept the old Miller furnace from it. I am going to install that in my garage this year and use it for heat, it is around 60,000 btu and should do ok. It had an outside tank with about 55 gallon of red kerosene in it and I pumped that out into a drum and that is what I am running in my torpedo heater. When I hook the furnace up I will install a small tank outside and run the red kerosene in it again.

 

[mrutkaus]

Yes, a couple years ago I went down to the local Sheetz station/store, filled two 5 gallon blue cans with kerosene, paid the clerk $25, she was an older lady, and I just looked at the two cans, looked at the $25, and we both kind of laughed.

No mroe kero heating since then.

Wood! The last resort.

Mike

 

[dholly]

hockeyhead-

I can offer some personal observations to support your decision. I built, insulated and drywalled a 24'x34'x9' garage/shop last year and was anxious to get the heat issue settled before the winter rolled in. My choice was easy, wood stove was an insurance co. no no and, after emptying the wallet building the joint, a $1400 30k BTU vented unit wasn't in the cards. Basically, if I was going to enjoy my new shop, I simply couldn't afford NOT to try one of those $200 30k BTU vent free propane wall units. I even found one on closeout with a blower (a must have) for under $100.

The vent free install was super easy of course, and I've found the heater surprisingly effective. With cross windows cracked 1" for ventilation and blower and ceiling fans going, the place is tight enough to get shirt sleeve warm after an hour or so even at 0*F OAT. The problems, however, come with extended use, i.e., anything longer than a few hours. As you mention, one byproduct of propane burn is water vapor. At full blast in 32*F or lower, the single pane overhead garage door lites will begin to show condensation in only a few hours, and at 6hrs even the insulated glass is wet enough to be dripping profusely.

The first time I left the heat on with insufficient fresh air and came back several hours later, EVERYTHING was wet. It looked like someone hosed down the concrete floor, not good at all. With some experience you can modulate the right amount of fresh ventilation to minimize moisture for the heat output, however, at some point you are simply heating the whole great outdoors. I also found I become much more sensitive to the smell the higher at higher heat settings and need plenty of fresh air, regardless of what the literature says. I would not even consider one of the vent free units without a built-in oxygen depletion sensor and gas shutoff.

Bottom line: After using for a winter or so I can say it works very well for what it is... a cheap source of temporary heat that beats the heck out of frozen fingers. In my situation the $100 was worth it, but I'll be watching for direct vent deals in mid-summer. If you're going to be spending any amount of time in your shop, I recommend you do the same. Cheers!

 

[hockeyhead]

Thanks for the insight dholley,
you just confirmed my choice
I also will be looking for a vented natural gas heater this summer.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

You all have it good!

I just filled up my 5 gallon kerosene can from a pump and it cost me $25. No kidding. I about choked, but it was already in the can. Diesel is about $2.45/gal

I'm with Hockeyhead in wondering what makes such a difference between diesel and kerosene.

I really think that next time I fill the kerosene can it will be with #1 diesel.

I used to use jet fuel, but I've since changed jobs and the airport isn't on the way home anymore.

 

[Fafner]

Why is kerosene so expensive? Maybe the same reason unleaded gasoline is so expensive??? Now I'm no expert and can't say what the cost difference is in the refining, but 50 years ago when I was selling leaded gasoline for $.25 to $.29 a gallon, we also sold "white gas" (unleaded, in other words, and mostly for Coleman lanterns) and kerosene. Both the white gas and the kerosene were a dime a gallon.

The last post I found on this forum was in Feb. 2007. No new posts? Everyone give up? Northern California. I just paid $30.09 for 5 gal 3 days ago. 5 gal was $16 last year. What has happened?
Fafner

 

[MikePA]

The last post I found on this forum was in Feb. 2007. No new posts? Everyone give up? Northern California. I just paid $30.09 for 5 gal 3 days ago. 5 gal was $16 last year. What has happened?
Fafner

I don't understand your confusion. The price of gas has gone up, so why wouldn't kerosene? According to the web site listed below, it's gone up $1.72/gallon comparing 2007 prices versus Sept 08 prices.

Click Here for current and historical prices.