Why Wicks burn out in Paraffin Heaters

Why Wicks burn out in Paraffin Heaters

Wick heaters are a very popular choice of heater. They don’t cost a whole lot, they’re very easy to use and they can last for years and years with just basic maintenance. That said, a common issue with wick heaters is, well, the wick itself. Today we’ll look at why the wick can burn out, how to change it if it does – as well as showing you how to prevent it from burning out in the first place!

So, why do they burn out?

Wicks are basically pieces of cloth that are submerged in oil and allowed to burn. If the oil that they are covered in gets used up, the wick itself will burn out. It’s a pretty simple concept. There are various ways that will cause it to run dry leading to burnout and we’ve detailed a few below.

 

How do I prevent it from burning?

To stop your wick burning out in the first place, all you have to do is ensure that your wick is always submerged in oil. In essence, this just means that you should not let the heater run out of fuel. The most common times that people find that their wick has burned out are:

The first use after purchasing it

This is extremely common. People buy the heater, they take it home, pop some oil into it and turn it on. This mistake will set you back at lease thirty quid, as well as being an awful annoyance. When you get the heater home, put the fuel in and wait at least six hours before first use. Personally, I’d wait 24 hours. This will allow ample time for the fuel to work its way through the wick in it’s entirety.

 

The Glow Wick 240 Paraffin Heater

 

After taking it back out of storage

While the Summers in Ireland aren’t great, they’re generally not so bad that you’d need a heater. Most people put their heater into storage in March and take it out again in September. This in itself isn’t a problem, but if you light it up straight away, you could burn out the wick rather quickly. Even if there is some fuel in the tank, the wick’s tip can dry out from lack of use. In these instances, we strongly recommend that you remove all the oil from your heater after it has been in storage and replace it with new oil. Remember to let this new oil six for at least six hours before igniting it again.

When the wrong fuel is used

Look, I won’t harp on. You know that there are a multitude of reasons that you shouldn’t use the wrong fuel by now. One of the reasons is that it can cause to quicker burnout of the wick. Granted, this isn’t an instant problem, but rather one that you’ll experience after consistent use. The grime and in undistllled fuels like kerosene will clog fuel flow through the machine. Depending on the severity, this can cause the fuel to flow less freely and in turn, this means the fuel is being used up quicker than it can be provided to the wick. Granted, this is one of the smaller issues with using kerosene, but it’s worth noting.

Using for extended durations

There are people who don’t turn their heater off during the winter months. First. of all, this isn’t advised as any burning fuel can cause carbon monoxide formation; we recommend that you air out the room every three-to-four hours of using a heater. Regardless, using a heater for prolonged periods will obviously burn through the fuel more quickly than intermittent use. Always keep and eye on the fuel gauge and make sure that you’re not into the red territory.

Not correctly turning off the heater

In the same vein, not turning off your heater will do exactly the same thing. Make sure that you’ve followed the instructions to correctly turn off your heater and don’t force or jam any dials in doing so. In most of our wick heaters, you’ll need to turn the dial to the off-position for 30 seconds before pressing the Off Switch. This will correctly tun off the heater and will minimise the odours that are otherwise ‘dumped’ out.

 

How can I tell if my wick has burnt out?

A burnt wick won’t be hard to spot. There may be an excess of smoke produced, the fuel will be used up much more quickly and the flame may be unusual (either very large or ‘lapping’ along the bottom). If you are still not sure, you can do the following to be sure:

• Make sure the heater is fully cool first
• Open the mesh guard on the heater and lift the glass globe up and remove it entirely.
• Now turn your dial as if you were going to ignite the heater, but do not press the ignite button
• Instead look at the wick that is raised as you turn the dial.
• If it is black and hard, it has burnt out

 

How do I change a burnt out wick?

If your wick has already burnt out, most of the above advise is useless to you. Instead, you’ll need to purchase a new wick, and install it. You can see our guides for wick installation to our two heaters here:

 

 

 

Do you have any questions about why wicks burn out in paraffin heaters?

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