Oil Lamp Care

Oil lamps, whether used for emergency lighting during a power outage or as your main source of light requires basic maintenance of the lamps for them to work effectively. I have been using oil lamps nearly all my life. My family always had them scattered throughout the home.

Back then, my Father always burned kerosene in the lamps. I remember the scent of the kerosene and how smoky the lamps could get. Today, there are oils made specifically for the oil lamps that are odorless and smoke-free. What a difference! The lamps burn much cleaner than they did when I was a kid. The basic maintenance the lamps need has not changed though.

Lamps are made of 4 basic parts. First is the basin. This is the bowl which holds the lamp oil. On top, it will have a threaded collar that the burner attaches to. The basin should be inspected regularly to check for chips or cracks which can lead to injury or leakage of the oil. I usually inspect the lamps when I am cleaning and refilling them. A small chip in the basin may not be deep enough to cause the oil to leak out, but you can get a nasty cut if you are not careful! A cracked basin is very unreliable and the basin should be replaced.

The burner is the metal piece that holds the wick. The burner need to be inspected to make sure the prongs that hold the glass chimney are in good condition and properly adjusted to snugly hold the chimney in place. Worn prongs can break from frequent adjusting. You also need to inspect the "dial" on the side that adjusts the wick height to see that it turns properly. Burners should be dusted off as dust can become flammable.

The chimney, also known as the hurricane, is the glass top of the lamp that shields the flame of the lamp. Chips or cracks in the chimney can cause cuts so any damaged chimneys should be replaced to prevent injury. When cleaning the chimney, I wash them in hot water and allow to dry thoroughly before placing them back on the lamp to prevent the burner from getting wet and possibly becoming rusted.

The wick should also be maintained. Inspect the wick and trim away the blacked area if it becomes wider than 1/16 of an inch. You should also check the amount of wick that sets in the basin. The wick should be long enough that it will set down in the oil. I replace wicks as soon as they are only reaching halfway down into the basin. Even at that length you need to be vigilant that the oil does not drop below the wick or the flame will go out once it has drawn all the oil up through the wick to burn.

When filling the lamps, I remove the chimney and burner. Using a funnel, fill the basin with oil. Replace the burner and wipe down the outside of the basin thoroughly to remove any oil that may have dripped down the outside. Adjust the wick and replace the chimney.

Oil Lamp usage should be carefully monitored when there are children or pets in the home. When using the lamps, please remember that the chimney gets extremely hot. I remember one incident when I was about 12 years old I noticed that a lamp was low on oil. Wanting to help, I blew out the lamp and removed the chimney. The result was a 2nd degree burn on the inside of my entire hand. Lamps need to be kept in an area where little hands or pets won't have access or can easily bump them over. In our home we are placing shelves on the walls for the lamps to rest on with reflective plates or mirrors behind them that will help to reflect the light from the lamp into the rooms.

No matter if the lamps are used occasionally or often, oil lamps are a wonderful source of lighting. Properly maintaining the lamps and following basic safety practices will insure you many years of enjoyment.