Heating oil is a type of oil that can be used to heat up the inside of a home. It does not matter the size of the home; the right size system can dispense heat throughout it. This is an efficient way for many home to obtain the heat that they need throughout the winter months.

Currently, around 6 million households throughout the United States choose and use heating oil for their heating needs. Some of these homes also heat their water with the same heating oil, though they do it in smaller amounts than what you would find with traditional water heaters.

Why Use Heating Oil?

Many households choose to use heating oil because it is much more efficient than the other types of heating that are out there. They provide a more efficient flow of hot air throughout the home, allowing it to be more comfortable overall. When you use this type of heating you also save more money on your energy bills due to the increase in efficiency. Continue reading ‘What is Heating Oil and Why Use it?’ »

According to statistics, around 6 million households in the United States currently use heating oil as their main heating fuel source. Some of these households also use heating oil to warm up their water. This is done in much smaller batches than what you would find with other sources of heat for a water heater. Commercial and industrial buildings are also known to use heating oil for many things.

Benefits of Using Heating Oil

There are many benefits that come from using this heating source. If you currently use it, or you’re thinking of making the switch to it then it is important to think about the many benefits that come with this type of heating source.

1. It is one of the most popular choices to go with when it comes to heating your home, making it a great product to get anywhere that you live.
2. It is much safer to use than many of the other heating sources out there. It can only work within a specific burner and it will not explode.
3. It is more effective at heating a home, making the home much more warm and comfortable for those living within it. This is a plus during those really cold nights.
4. It is more cost effective. The system does not have to work as hard to put heat throughout the home. This benefits everyone.
5. It is better for the environment. Since it is so effective at heating homes, this is one of the best sources of heat that doesn’t put too many emissions into the atmosphere.

Whatever the reason is for switching, this can be an ideal switch for you to make. You do not have to worry about not being able to get the heat that is needed since you’re using an efficient heating source that is getting the job done and making everyone comfortable in the end.

A local heating oil company can come out and provide the system, as well as the oil to your home. This provides you with a way to keep the system running, but not having to do any of the maintenance or filling of the oil system on your own.

Contact a local heating oil company to find out how they’re able to help you make the switch. You may be surprised to find all of the cost savings, as well as efficient benefits that come with the system when you do!

When you are building a home, or looking around to buy a home, knowing how your home will function is imperative. You need to know where the electrical source comes from, what type of water you are going to be dealing with, and how you are going to keep your home warm when the cold weather hits. If you are given the option of building or looking at a home that has heating oil, there are some really good perks to using this type of heating source.

Heating Oil Warms Your House Very Quickly
When you are talking about how fast a house can get to a warm, comfortable temperature when you get up in the morning, nothing can compete with heating oil. It burns hotter than any other heating substance. This means that heating oil is going to be able to heat the air, if you use a furnace, or the water, if you use a boiler, much more quickly, and get that heat circulating around your home in a matter of just a couple of minutes. That means, waking up on a chilly morning won’t require you to walk around the house in a snowmobile suit until the house finally warms up.

Heating Oil is Also Very Safe
When you have heating oil left in a liquid state, you do not have the worry of it going up in flames on you. It simply will not burn. That means that you can safely store your heating oil in a location near to your home. When heating oil is used, a fine mist of the oil is combined with oxygen and put in front of the burner to ignite the necessary oil to warm up your home. Without the oil being separated into that fine mist, it will not go up in flames, even if exposed to an open flame.

If you are looking for a new home, you may seriously want to give heating oil a consideration. It is safe, cost-effective, and it will last a very long time. The perks that you get, especially in areas that get hit with really cold temperatures, make it one of the best options available to homeowners today. To find out more about heating oil in your area, contact your local heating oil delivery company and find out what you would need in order to get your home set up to accept heating oil.

Oil is oil, right?  Wrong.  There is heating oil, kerosene, diesel gas and gasoline, which are all fuel oils.  Although all these fuels start out the same, they have different compositions once they have gone through the processing phase.  Have you ever wondered what would happen if you used the wrong fuel in your car or your furnace?

Let’s start with your car.  Perhaps you have a diesel engine in your car and you pull up to a pump.  For whatever reason, you grab the wrong nozzle and fill the car up with regular gasoline, put the nozzle back and drive away.  Now what happens depends on how much diesel fuel was left in the gas tank before you added regular gasoline.  If the ratio of gasoline to diesel was low, there might not be a noticeable difference.  But if the gasoline ratio is high, you probably won’t get very far.  The emissions system will start to malfunction.  The engine will run noisy and rough.  All that gasoline is damaging your diesel engine.  The best thing to do if you use the wrong fuel oil is to not even start the car.  Have it towed to a garage and have the tank drained.  It is almost impossible to put diesel fuel in a car with a regular gas engine.  The nozzle for a diesel engine is much too large for the gasoline filler neck opening.

What about using gasoline or kerosene in your fuel oil tank for your furnace?  Another big no, no.  Number 2 heating oil has been formulated to work with a furnace and the ignition point of the furnace.  Other mixtures of fuel oil will have varying ignition points.  The result can be a fire.  Gasoline and kerosene are faster burning fuels and the result can be disastrous.

Each type of fuel oil was designed with a specific use in mind.  Some engines need a cleaner fuel and some need a fuel that will also act as a lubricant, like a diesel fuel.  Any time a fuel oil is used inappropriately you will have a damaged engine and possibly a fire.  Most tanks where fuel oil is put in will have the correct type of fuel listed.  Diesel gas pumps do have a different color nozzle.  The handle is typically green.  And inside the gas tank door it tells you to use diesel fuel only.  Even with all these precautions, take care not to interchange your type of fuel oil.

Kerosene is a fuel oil that is known by several different names including heating oil, boiler juice and paraffin. It is produced through the distilling of crude oil. There are two grades of kerosene which have different levels of Sulphur.  Kerosene is a clear, thin liquid typically used for lighting, heating, for powering aircraft of various types and in heating systems. Kerosene has been used for years and continues to be one of the most traditional sources of providing light and heat, originally in lanterns.  It is still used worldwide for cooking and providing entertainment.

It is estimated that in the United Kingdom, over 1.5 billion homes use kerosene to heat their homes. This is particularly due to its clean burning properties allowing it to maintain an increased level of heat, while being very economical to use as a primary source of heating.  One of the primary reasons for kerosene’s popularity is its availability. Continue reading ‘Uses for Kerosene’ »

When you are building a home, or looking around to buy a home, knowing how your home will function is imperative. You need to know where the electrical source comes from, what type of water you are going to be dealing with, and how you are going to keep your home warm when the cold weather hits. If you are given the option of building or looking at a home that has heating oil, there are some really good perks to using this type of heating source.

Heating Oil Warms Your House Very Quickly

When you are talking about how fast a house can get to a warm, comfortable temperature when you get up in the morning, nothing can compete with heating oil. It burns hotter than any other heating substance. This means that heating oil is going to be able to heat the air, if you use a furnace, or the water, if you use a boiler, much more quickly, and get that heat circulating around your home in a matter of just a couple of minutes. That means, waking up on a chilly morning won’t require you to walk around the house in a snowmobile suit until the house finally warms up. Continue reading ‘The Perks of Using Heating Oil to Heat Your Home’ »

The price of a barrel of oil has become a thing of scrutiny ever since our attention was turned to the Middle East decades ago.  The need to be less dependent on foreign oil has caused innovators to find ways to better meet our own fuel demands.  As opposed to conventional oil, shale oil is capitalizing on technological advances in the way we harvest and process oil.  That is good news for the long foreseeable future and Heating Oil Prices.

What is Shale Oil?

Unlike rigs that drill for the bubbling crude, shale oil is a rock.  It is harvested and processed differently.  As you may have been able to deduce by lower gas prices this year, it is a more economically sustainable method.  As the price of a barrel of oil decreases, that price cut is noticed in all forms of refinery, including your heating oil.  And with the largest shale deposits in the world located in the central-west region of our nation, there is no shortage of supply.  According to most experts (even given the unpredictable volatile political climate), prices will continue to drop or remain stable with known deposits to sustain us for around 400 years.

How is Shale Oil Harvested?

It is commonly referred to as “the rock that burns”.  It takes an enormous amount of heat and pressure to keep oil in a liquid form.  It must be mined from the earth using a simple yet sophisticated system and then heated through a process called retorting.  There are other methods currently being looked into that would heat the shale before it is mined from the earth.   Once the shale oil is in liquid form, it can then go through the refining process just like all other oil that is drilled.

Shale 2.0

Our nation is on the cusp of revolutionizing the shale oil industry.  Technological advances and highly motivated entrepreneurs have not given up on the potential this black gold mine has.  The geo-political climate is being heated as the barrel tries not to drop too much.  But lowered fuel costs after being too high for too long will naturally take time to settle back into as the shock of $20/barrel wears off.

The surplus of oil in our nation right now is the highest it has been in many years.  This has allowed a surplus of new technology to develop and big data projects with extraordinary software that has left the market in an upheaval with many changes to come, including more affordable heating oil.

If your home is not properly winterized, it will be like throwing money out with your heat.  Snow and below freezing temperatures are the norm during Lynchburg, VA winters.  A few simple and easy preparations can save you a lot of money on your heating bill.  You may even be able to make it through the winter on just one tank of heating oil and Heating Your Home.

Places You Lose the Most Heat

Doorways and windows are the places where you will lose the most heat.  When you run your hand along the frame, do you notice a draft or change in temperature?  Replace worn out weather stripping with new, inexpensive rolls and for around $10 a door.   Continue reading ‘Ways to Save Money When Heating Your Home this Winter’ »

An improperly working oil tank can cost you hundreds of wasted dollars.  Whether you are buying a new home or have an older pump that seems to be going through oil faster than it usually does, an inspection can tell a lot.  It is important to have your heating oil storage tank regularly maintained and inspected to ensure you will not only be getting what you pay for, but also to avoid costly repairs and lost oil.

Locating the Tank

It is important to determine if your home has an above ground storage tank (AST) or an underground storage tank (UST).  If you are purchasing a new or new-to-you home through a mortgage lender, they could deny your loan until proper inspection is completed.  They may deny it all together given the bad reputation of UST.  Even if your tank is above ground, it could still be leaking or have faulty parts.  Lynchburg is known for having some of the richest history in our nation and that means older establishments that need to be regularly maintained. Continue reading ‘Inspections for Oil Tank’ »

If you have ever been in a home warmed with heating oil, there is a depth to the warmth not found in homes that use electric or space heaters.  It is the most efficient source of heat and has a bright future to go along with its progressive heritage.  Originally marketed as a medicinal product, it wasn’t until a Pennsylvania chemist provided the needed insight to distill it and transform the energy industry as we know it.

From Wood to Oil

When our nation was first formed, fire was the way to procure heat.  It was used to keep the family out of the bitter cold and to keep warm food in bellies.  The use of oil was not a new method when it was first drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859.  There are records of it being used as early as the 4^th century in China.  But for the Western World, coal was rapidly replacing wood until the internal combustion engine allowed for a more economical refinement of oil that heating oil emerged.  But it still wasn’t until the turn of the 20^th century that heating oil for homes began to surge and become the number one fuel source for home heating in Lynchburg, VA.

It is all about the Barrel

As long as there is crude oil, there will be heating oil.  There are 42 gallons of crude oil in a barrel and only around 20 gallons get refined into the gasoline we use to power machinery and vehicles.  Another 11 or so for diesel fuel, 4 for jet fuel and the rest gets refined into heating oil and for various petroleum based products such as crayons, tires, computers and cleaning products.  The amount is slightly flexible based on demand and the refinery that a company specializes in; however, the process is quite complex.

A refinery is essentially a factory.  It takes the crude oil and distills it.  The liquid oil is heated until it becomes a vapor and is then cooled back into liquid form in different chambers to be collected.  Now, that is the very simplest of explanations.  All the various forms are already in the highly complex makeup of crude oil.  We just separate them and then allocate the barrel in the best way possible.  This allows refineries to harvest heating oil all year long and store the distillate product until the demand picks back up in the winter.