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DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater Review




The DuraHeat DH2304 is a 23,000 BTU Convection Kerosene Heater that can heat up to 930 sq. ft. The DH2304 has a 1.9 gallon internal fuel tank that provides enough fuel to burn 9 – 12 hours depending on the wick height setting. Many people find that the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater is an excellent choice for alternative heating in homes that use expensive heating methods such as electric heat. The DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater also provides a good choice for back up heating during winter power outages such as those caused by ice storms. A severe ice storm in many cases can cause enough damage to the power lines that some people will go for days or even a week without power. The DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater can provide the heat you need to remain comfortable in your home and avoid costly damage from having your pipes freeze. The DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater is much handier than a wood stove as it does not have to be fixed in place taking up room when not in use and the fuel for it can be stored in a couple of five gallon jugs vs. a woodpile in the yard and another woodpile under cover to keep an ample supply of dry wood. You also do not have to worry about cleaning the ashes out of a DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater and the hazards associated with the disposal of ashes.


To use a DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater for heating you will need to buy the heater, a five gallon blue plastic container for kerosene, and a siphon pump for transferring the fuel. Many people make the mistake of buying a battery operated pump thinking it will be easier but when you do the reliability suffers with troubles like dead batteries when you need them and even failure of the pump. The siphon pump is easy to use with just a couple of squeezes to start the flow then when the heater is full unscrewing the cap to break the siphon and stop the flow. Never overfill the heater it can be dangerous and cause a risk of fire, if you overfill the heater reverse the siphon pump and pump the excess back out before lighting the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater. You should also keep a couple of spare wicks on hand that will fit your heater and a couple of spare igniters as well. The DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater’s automatic ignition system uses 2 “C-cell” batteries for easy lighting but the heater can be lit with a match as well.

The fuel selection is very important and only 1-K Kerosene should be used in a DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater. Never use a fuel other than 1-K Kerosene! The DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater manual states the fuel should be clear but in the US 1-K Kerosene has a red dye added because fuels that are used for purposes other than motor vehicle fuel are dyed red showing the road taxes have not been paid on the fuel. The dye in the 1-K Kerosene does not present a problem when used in the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater except for staining of the components. Kerosene is available in three different ways for sale. The first and most expensive is in sealed metal containers, which offers the highest purity fuel at the highest cost. The next would be from a dealer which buys it in a 55 gallon drum and dispenses the fuel out of the drum, the price will be lower and quality may vary somewhat. The last method and the cheapest is purchasing kerosene from a dealer that has large underground storage tanks and dispenses fuel from a pump. With the underground tank there is an added risk of water contamination but this is easily averted by tilting the container and drawing fuel from the bottom of the container into a clear container where the water will separate and the fuel can be put back into the original container for use with only a small occasional loss which is disposed of.

To operate the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater it is as simple as filling the heater with fuel, then waiting 60 minutes for the wick to soak up the fuel. Once the wait is over you simply turn the knob all the way up, open the door above the knob, and push the ignition lever while watching through the door for ignition. Once the wick ignites, release the igniter lever and move the burner knob from side to side to make sure the burner is positioned properly on top of the wick adjuster. After 5 – 7 minutes adjust the height of the wick using the knob so the burner flame is set at the correct level per the manual. Too high a flame produces smoke and soot, while too low a flame can produce carbon monoxide and odors. The first time you use the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater you should light it outside or in a well vented area as oils used in the fabrication of the metal parts burn off and produce odors. In use you will find the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater to be very clean burning with a slight odor when first lit or, when it is shut off. You need to maintain a clear area around the heater and you should have a carbon monoxide detector in the home. The heater has an automatic safety device that automatically shuts the heater off if it tips over and a large wire guard to prevent contact with the hot surfaces of the heater. Properly used you will find the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater to be a safe economical way to heat your home.

The DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater will require periodic maintenance which the manual covers well. One of the things you will have to do is a dry burn when the wick gets a build up of carbon on it. Dry burning restores the wick to new condition by burning off the carbon. Another is cleaning the wick assembly. These will be the common maintenance items that you have to perform to keep your DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater running properly, these steps are covered in the manual quite well and they are not difficult. At some point during use the wick may become damaged from water in the fuel or, no longer respond to dry burns. When this happens the wick requires replacement with a new wick. Use only the wick brands and model numbers specified in the manual for your DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater. The replacement you will find is quite easy requiring only a flat screwdriver, pliers, and a plastic bag to accomplish. The wick the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater uses is one of the easiest wicks to replace as it locates using 3 pins on the wick avoiding time consuming measurements.

You will find the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater to be an excellent choice for saving money as well as a backup heating source in the event of an emergency heating need.

You can check out and purchase the DuraHeat DH2304 Kerosene Heater at Walmart, Lowe’s, and Home Depot.

If you have any questions or, comments please post them below, I will reply.