Heating Oil
- Heating oil is a distillate fuel, which means it is a refined product made from crude oil.
- It has a higher energy density than kerosene, meaning it produces more heat per gallon.
- Heating oil burns hotter than kerosene.
- Efficient modern oil burners can achieve up to 85-90% efficiency, meaning that 85-90% of the energy in the fuel is converted to heat.
Kerosene:
- Kerosene is also a distillate fuel but has a lighter composition and lower viscosity than heating oil, which makes it easier to ignite and burn.
- It has a lower energy density than heating oil and, therefore, produces less heat per gallon.
- Kerosene burns cooler and can create more soot and residue.
- Modern kerosene burners can achieve efficiency levels of around 75-80%.
In general, heating oil is more efficient in a forced-air furnace than kerosene, producing more heat per gallon and achieving higher efficiency ratings in modern furnaces. For this reason, it is generally the preferred choice for heating homes using a forced-air furnace system.
