For customers wondering whether to purchase fuel oil or heating oil, it’s important to understand what exactly each is in order to determine which best suits their needs. So what are fuel oil heaters?
Fuel oil is most similar to another common fuel—kerosene. It contains 135,000 BTUs, which is a lower energy density than that of heating oil.
However, fuel oil is not as stable as heating oil, which means that homeowners or business owners that have fuel tanks located inside may not want to use fuel oil. Although less stable, fuel oil does burn cleaner, which means that fuel tanks using fuel oil won’t require as much maintenance as heating oil.
Heating oil is heavier than fuel oil and is most similar to diesel fuel. It contains 139,000 BTUs, which means that it produces a little bit more heat than fuel oil does. Heating oil tends to be a better option for homeowners and business owners that have their fuel tanks located inside of their properties.
As far as performance goes, heating oil produces slightly more heat than fuel oil—but the difference is minimal. The main difference between fuel oil and heating oil is that fuel oil is better suited for outdoor tanks, while heating oil is better suited for indoor tanks.
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