What is the difference between Kerosene and Home Heating Fuel.

Crude oil is refined into various oils such as home heating oil and kerosene. The oils differ in their refinement processes resulting in different oil types.

Home Heating Oil

Oil is thought to be considered the safest type of heat because it will not explode nor will it get hot enough to catch fire. Thus it warms your home quickly, safely and cost effectively. Heating oil will not burn in a liquid state. The flash point, or the temperature at which the oil ignites, is 140 degrees Fahrenheit -the temperature at which it begins to vaporize in order to catch fire inside a burner.

Heating oil is diesel fuel. It is dyed red to indicate that it is not legal to burn in a diesel vehicle because the red dye indicates that there were no road taxes paid with it. Putting diesel fuel into your oil thank is good way to get yourself through an otherwise cold night and morning in the case that you let yourself run out when a truck cannot get to you till the next day.

Oil is best used for inside tanks as the oil can gel in cold temperatures. If you still prefer to use oil on an outside tank, you can use an additive (such as Hot Shot) that helps to prevent oil from gelling through the winter.

Kerosene

Kerosene burns cleaner due to its refining process. It is said by many to burn more efficiently, causing it to last longer and, making it worthy of its higher price. Kerosene also does not gel up during the winter. Kerosene has a lower flash point of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.