[FRUITFULL]

We lit the parrafin heater in the greenhouse last weekend.It used the parrafin in 3 days £5.95 worth and the greenhouse is black.All the windows have soot over them,the cobwebs are black and the plants are coated in soot.No more parrafin heater in there.I think we will keep what we can in doors and wait for the warmer weather.

[vegikev]

 :ohmy:hi the problem with the heater is that you had it up way to high. just turn it down until no smoke is seen. then just check it in mabe 15 minutes. parafin heaters are normally economical so when you have it working correctly you will see the difference in fuel costs. good luck

[beansticks]

I agree with Vegikev,turn the wicks back until the flame is blue,and you will have no soot, and it will last longer.

[sunshineband]

Yup, I've been there with the sot covered greenhouse too!! The wick was too long so had a yellow flame not a nice little blue one.

[vegmandan]

Paraffin heaters must be the most inneficient way to heat a greenhouse.

Apart from the soot and the unbeleivable amount of water they produce.

If your greenhouse is at home then I'd just get an electric heater set on a thermostat so you can control the night time temps.

Failing this it's probably cheaper to buy a load of tea lights from the pound shops and light these around the place.

It'll be a lot cheaper than pafaffin. :blink:

[matron]

We had this problem last year. We are going to use a gas bottle that has a small heater attached to the top of it. 
I am also looking at creating a propagator heated using candles. 

[woodburner]

You'll probably need to clean or even trim the wick, too. 

[FRUITFULL]

Its out of the greenhouse and not going back in.The wick in my opinion was correct and not guttering but the expense and mess is awfull.When you look at the greenhouse from outside it looks like weve had a bad fire in there.
I have got a little electric heater set on frost temp now but wont use it till we get going on the spring growing.Everything overwintering in there will have to cope.We normally dont have severe cold down here in the south 1st time for a few years.

[millie C]

I used to have a parrafin heater a few years ago - I didn't have the problem with the soot, but found my seedlings died off - may have been a coincidence but now I've swapped to an electric fan type greenhouse heater on the frost setting I've never had a problem with seedlings dying off. (could be to do with the air circulating???) I'm sure there's an expert on here who will know, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the electric heater is far more expensive to run (just don't tell my OH!)

[DD.]

Could be "damping off" with the seedlings.

Each gallon of paraffin burnt produces a gallon of water.

[richyrich7]

I use and elcetric one it's better by far than paraffin no water, and good air circulation.
Insulate the greenhouse with bubble wrap, if you only have a few plants then make a tent of bubble wrap or polythene over them bung the lekky fan job inside that, it will save loads of money just heating a small space over a large one 

[FRUITFULL]

I agree with that richy,my neighbour out the back has bubble wrapped his greenhouse and every time the sun comes out his auto windows open,so it must be well insulated.I will get everything out of the greenhouse at the weekend and wash it down inside,then bubble wrap 1/2 of the inside ready for the seeds.It will feel like going into the ET tent like the film.
No one will convince me to go back to the expensive messy and stinky parrafin heater,yet i love traditional things and not the new technology.