What kind of price should I expect to pay for K1 heating fuel? Home Depot has a synthetic stuff that's almost $8 per gallon! What kind of cost / where should I look for quality fuel?

TIA.

-- Gary S. (garyss_2k@yahoo.com), December 10, 1999

Answers

Local Home Depot has 5 gallon metal cans of it for around $15.oo. If you go to a gas station that has kerosene around the back and bring your own container it is usually $1.50-$2.00 per gallon.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), December 11, 1999.

bought mine at local co-op for 1.50 a gal if you buy 50 gal or more

-- jimmie (jmedale@netscape.net), December 11, 1999.

K-1 is 1.09/gal in your container.. may get to 139 with the oil price problem and darn near impossible to find as we get closer to roll-over -- best buy now.

-- john (not@available.com), December 11, 1999.

Six months ago K-1 was 1.55 here, last week it jumped to 2.00. I've got 60 gallon stored, I hope thats enough.

-- Steve Magee (magee@alvant.alva.ok.us), December 11, 1999.

Unfortunately, the best "quality" fuel comes in those clear 1 gallon containers. the reason it is "better" is the water content is low.

The next step in "quality" would be from a sealed drum from a heating oil dealer. theoretically, there is less of a chance of water contamination if the drum has been filled fresh.

Then there is finding a "gas station" that has a K1 pump. Quality can vary because you don't know how long it has been sitting in the tank and the air from the summer that comes into the tank to replace the kerosene that goes out condenses on the walls of the interior of the tank and drips into the kerosene.

Water is bad for wicked kerosene heaters.

If you find a few sources of pumped K1 kerosene (and I doubt you would find K2 kerosene at a pump) try getting a gallon, taking it home, then pour some in a clear glass, let it sit for an hour or so and see how many "bubbles" appear at the bottom of the glass.

They aren't bubbles though, they are beads of water.

The less you have, the better the "quality" for a wicked heater.

Unfortunately I have no reference as to how much over "x" inches of surface area is "good" or "bad".

Prices in the Chicago area are $1.69 at a pump. $2.99 for a 1 gallon container, $17.99 for a 5-gal container.

I got 4-55 gal Blue plastic drums that had been cleaned, made sure they were dry and went to a place on the south-side of Chicago called Ashland Propane which has propane, kerosene, washes trucks, sells gas, etc.

The price jumped from $1.39- $1.69 in one week. Standard Operating procedure for the season.

I have had people tell me to drive 250 miles to find Kerosene for $.99 per gal, but it isn't worth the trip. You live in a more populated area and you just have to pay more.

-- plonk! (realaddress@hotmail.com), December 11, 1999.

K-1 is still 99 cents at my rural gas station down the road a piece in Virginia. Guess I'm lucky.

-- Debi (LongTimeLurker@shy.com), December 12, 1999.

Debi, I am even a bit more lucky....89 cents gallon at Exxon station, Southern, VA.

Gary, hubby purchased a large amount at another, closer gas station, and it seems to be alot more smelly than the other. Perhaps try a small quantity out before puchasing the bulk quanity.

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), December 13, 1999.

Monday's delivery, a tankfull, $1.089/gallon from one the traditionally slightly higher price local companys. Southeastern Wisconsin.

jh

-- john hebert (jt_hebert@hotmail.com), December 16, 1999.