Where can I buy kerosine?

DavidK

New User
David
I am looking to buy 5 gallons of kerosine for my shop heater. Does anyone know a gas station in Durham near downtown that has a kerosine pump?

Thanks!!
David
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Look in the lower income neighborhoods. Many there used to use kerosene heaters, and maybe still do. Some of the Circle "K"s have kerosene. Not exactly down town, but at least one of the stores on Miami Blvd should stock kerosene. Be prepared for "sticker shock." With the price of kerosene, you can pay for a propane heater quickly. 20# bottles can be picked up off CL, or Facebook market place. Just find someone who actually refills them, as the exchange ones are only 75% full.
 

awldune

Sam
User
Is kerosene that rare? I had no idea. I believe that all Mobil stations have kerosene. The one on Legion Ave does for sure. Google Maps seems to think the one at Club and Buchanan does. You could call the station to confirm.
 

PeteStaehling

New User
Pete
Not sure about where you are, but I have seen it in gallon and 2.5 gallon cans at places like walmart, ace hardware, and tractor supply. Also here I think one of our local propane suppliers has kerosene as well.

If you decide to go the propane route, uHaul is a common place for refills. Better than the 75% full exchanges IMO.
 

blackhawk

Brad
Corporate Member
If you can find a local oil company, as Dirk mentioned, their prices are usually 40 or 50 cents cheaper per gallon than a gas station. Sheetz and Hess both carry kerosene if you need it quick.
 

Woodmolds

Tony
User
You can get undyed kerosene at Lowe's. Gallons and Fives. It's in the paint section (solvents). Undyed would be better for heaters.
Home Depot & Tractor Supply list as having.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
Tractor Supply sells 5 gal cans of undyed 1-K kerosene for about $40. 1-K burns cleaner and has less odor than the dyed kerosene at the gas stations so extends the wick life between dry burning, but is more expensive.
 

drw

Donn
Corporate Member
I, too, didn't realize that kerosene was that hard to find. As I was cleaning my shop for the recent shop crawl, I took a five-gallon can, with about four gallons of kerosene to the Wake County Hazardous Waste site. The last time I recall using kerosene was during Hurricane Fran. We were without power for several days so we cooked on top of a kerosene heater. I don't know if the stuff has a shelf-life or not, but after 23 years old, I was comfortable letting it go.
 

DavidK

New User
David
Thanks for all the feedback! When I lived in Cary, the gas station on the corner had kerosine, so I didn't have to think about it. After seeing how expensive it was at the big box stores, I visited several stations here in Durham which Google thought had kerosine, but they didn't have a pump for it. I will visit Couch Oil and see what they have. It is nice to know Tractor Supply has it for a reasonable price as well.

I plan to install a mini-split in the shop, but I need to get the structural repairs done first.
 

TENdriver

New User
TENdriver
Back when I was heavily interested in antique kerosene lamps and heaters, it was suggested that Agricultural kerosene, which isn’t taxed and consequently doesn’t require the dye, could be a good source for kerosene.

It’s supposed to be significantly cheaper.

BTW, the consensus back in the day was that the additives in road kerosene were not good for Aladdin lamps and Aladdin heaters. I know the dye definitely screwed up a wick and permanently stained an antique lamp. I won’t use the road stuff.
 

buildintechie

New User
Jeff
The mobil station at Hillsborough Road and Cole Mill Road has it as well. I price shopped a few months ago and it was about $0.20 a gallon cheaper than couch up the road.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Back when I was heavily interested in antique kerosene lamps and heaters, it was suggested that Agricultural kerosene, which isn’t taxed and consequently doesn’t require the dye, could be a good source for kerosene.

It’s supposed to be significantly cheaper.

BTW, the consensus back in the day was that the additives in road kerosene were not good for Aladdin lamps and Aladdin heaters. I know the dye definitely screwed up a wick and permanently stained an antique lamp. I won’t use the road stuff.
Never hard of anything running kerosene on the road since the early 1920's. Now diesel (#2 fuel oil) is a different story
 

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