What is heating oil

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The maximum sulfur content is limited to 0. In Germany, for example, low-sulfur heating oil has tax advantages compared to the extra-light standard heating oil; the energy tax rate in Germany is 1. There are oil heating systems that can be operated with low-sulfur heating oil only, for example oil-fired condensing boilers without a neutralization system. Their filling pipe should have a green safety cover. In addition, fuel used for heating is taxed at a different rate than fuel used in vehicles.

Heating oil and diesel fuel are very similar in many ways. So because heating oil is taxed at a lower rate in Germany than diesel fuel, its use as a vehicle fuel to evade taxes is illegal.

To avoid confusion, heating oil and low-sulfur heating oil is labeled with heating oil dye HKZ, also known as Euromarker consisting of a red dye and a marking substance known as Solvent Yellow The red color serves to create a visual distinction between heating oil and diesel fuel. The addition of the Solvent Yellow dye allows for chemically detecting a mixture of heating oil and diesel fuel, as the yellow dye in heating oil will turn red in acidic water phase. This characteristic is helpful for quick tests by customs officers, e.

Section 4 of the German EnergieStV obligates the owner of the labeling operation to carry out a proper identification of the heating oil and to regularly monitor it. Incidentally, all EU Member States are required to add a chemical marker to heating oil. Oil tanks are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, including horizontal and vertical tanks.

They might be located above or underground. Filter : The filter removes sediment and debris from the oil as it flows from the tank to the heating system. Fuel pump : The fuel pump controls the movement of the oil from the tank to the heating system. Combustion chamber : The combustion chamber is where the oil is ignited, so that it can warm either water or air, depending on the type of system in place.

Thermostat : The thermostat measures the temperature in a particular area of a house. When the temperature falls below the set level, the thermostat triggers the heating system to kick on. Some of the benefits of oil heat are: It is very safe: Oil is one of the safest heating fuels available as it will only ignite when it is in the combustion chamber of your furnace or boiler.

It needs to reach a high temperature over degrees and to be under high pressure before it ignites. You can drop a lit match into a bucket of heating oil, and all that will happen is the match will extinguish. It is clean-burning: The heating oil used today is designed to be clean-burning. In most states, the only type of heating oil now in use is ultra-low sulfur heating oil, meaning it has a sulfur content below 15 parts per million. It is budget-friendly: When you use heating oil in your home, you get a certain amount delivered all at once.

SMO Energy gives you the option of signing up for a SmartPay program , which divides up the cost of heating oil, your tank lease and any service agreements you have with us into monthly payments.

You can get better control over your budget and avoid surprise energy bills during the winter months using our payment plans. Heating systems that use oil have long lifespans: Another benefit of using oil to heat your home is that furnaces and boilers that use oil as their fuel source tend to have longer lifespans than other types of heating systems.

Your oil-burning furnace may stay in good working condition for up to 15 to 20 years with preventative maintenance and regular tune-ups. However, like all heating systems, they start to lose efficiency over time and become more expensive to operate as they get older.

We recommend replacing any heating equipment in your home every 15 to 20 years. It is available in remote areas: Unlike fuels like natural gas where the supply is limited to the location of the gas lines, oil heat is available just about anywhere.

Oil heat is an excellent option as long as you have room on your property for an oil tank and can provide access to a delivery driver to reach the tank to fill it up. Drawbacks of Using Oil Heat Like all heating options, oil heat is not without its disadvantages. Some of the drawbacks to consider if you are contemplating a switch to oil heat include: The cost of oil: Home oil prices can fluctuate based on supply and demand.

While a budget-payment plan can help you balance out the cost of oil over a month period, it cannot make up for changes in the price that occur as a result of a drop in supply or an increase in demand from year to year. Your tank can dry out: Your oil tank will not replenish itself.

If it runs out, your entire heating system can shut down, leaving you without heat until you get a new delivery. There are things you can do to minimize the risk of running out of oil, though. One option is to sign up for automatic delivery service.

With automatic delivery, SMO Energy monitors the level of oil in your tank and will make a delivery when it falls below a certain amount.

You can also set up scheduled delivery, meaning a new supply of oil will arrive on a regular basis, based on your past usage pattern. You need a place to keep your tank : One last drawback of oil heat is that you need to have a spot on your property for the oil tank. Depending on the size of your property and the size of your tank, it might be a tight fit. Some people also find that oil tanks are not particularly attractive.

There are ways to cope, though. You can choose a smaller tank if space is limited. You can also position the tank so that it is out of sight. Tanks can even be installed in your basement instead of outside. Just make sure that a delivery driver can easily access it at all times to fill it. Heating Systems That Use Oil If your home uses oil heat, it likely has either a furnace or boiler as its heating system. Furnaces A furnace provides heat to your home by circulating warm air through ducts.