# Fuel Oil Question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 14, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719 "2012-10-14T20:41:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719/21 "2012-10-16T23:21:29Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#):
>
> Yeah, I’d always heard that kerosene would damage most furnaces designed to run fuel oil, but I suppose the reason why they felt the need to say that is because it will work in a pinch. It does sound like you can run rather large kerosene blends without major problems though.
My understanding is if the tank is outside use kerosene if inside, like in a basement, use heating oil. Also it is almost automatic that mobile homes that have a oil burner use kerosene around here, I assumed it was because they all have outside storage tanks.
Kero has less energy per gallon IIRC, I don’t know if it burns hotter.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719/22 "2012-10-17T01:12:55Z")
> [@md2000](#):
>
> Not as bad as the guy somewhere in Ontario who was delivering fuel, and after he went past 200 gal, realized that something was wrong. He had gone to the wrong address, and the house there had not removed the filler pipe when they took out the tank. Good thing the oil company had insurance.
Everyone knows that story, but no one can prove it ever happened. It is most likely an urban legend.
Nevertheless, it is illegal to remove a tank without blocking the filler pipe.
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### Author:  [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719/23 "2012-10-18T17:55:21Z")
Either people are stupider than we think, or reporters more gullible than we think. A recent report:
[http://www.saanichnews.com/news/140085213.html](http://www.saanichnews.com/news/140085213.html)
> [@](#):
>
> However, education wouldn’t have helped prevent the most recent spill.
>
> On Feb. 3, an oil company mistakenly delivered and pumped oil into the wrong house on Adelaide Avenue – one that wasn’t even using oil as a heat source.
>
> “What I understand is the oil delivery was made to a house that used to have an oil tank. And when (the home-owner) went to a different form of heating, they removed the tank and furnace, but there was still (an oil supply) pipe making a hole in the side of the house,” said Adriane Pollard, Saanich’s manager of environmental services.
More helpful advice:
> [@](#):
>
> Do not put an oil cap, or anything that looks like an oil cap, on septic tank vents, drinking water wells, etc
😃
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### Author:  [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719/24 "2012-10-18T22:47:38Z")
So diesel fuel, fryer oil, kerosene, and jet fuel are pretty much the same thing, the differences being the additives to optimize if for a certain purpose.
“A Working Stiff’s Manefesto” has some amusing stories from a guy that worked as a fuel oil truck deliverer, including that of a co-worker who filled a septic tank in a mansion wilth oil until it geyshered out of all the toilets, then ran his truck into a utility pole on the way out taking out the electricity.
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### Author:  [@olecrunchy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/olecrunchy)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2013, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719/25 "2013-07-12T07:44:11Z")
I have had the same questions in the past. By no means an expert this is what I have learned. You should have the bottom of the boiler relined if you don’t know when this was done last so as to protect the boiler. Do not use kerosene as it burns too hot and gives you fewer btu per gal. Do not use #2 as it creates too much soot and will gel if outside. It cost me $350 to have sootbuster come clean out my furnace. He used a vacuum that sat on top of a 55 gal barrel and used a truck air filter that was about 12 ‘’ in diameter and 20 ‘’ tall . We had to dump the barrel (about a quarter of a barrel each time) and clean the filter 3-4 times. You need a filter at tank discharge point with a valve above it to enable filter changes. My tank is outside in an extremely well insulated shed so I also have another valve/filter at the furnace. Although I have never needed it I have a tank heater designed for trucks stuck to the bottom of the tank. I would avoid vegetable oil etc. Heating oil is similar to red #1 but may contain more sulfur. Hope this helps. I put a wood burning insert into an old masonry fireplace and love it. I buy permits from US forest service and cut and split firewood with my neighbor. Has saved me thousands.
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### Author:  [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2013, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719/26 "2013-07-13T12:05:11Z")
> [@kanicbird](#):
>
> My understanding is if the tank is outside use kerosene if inside, like in a basement, use heating oil. Also it is almost automatic that mobile homes that have a oil burner use kerosene around here, I assumed it was because they all have outside storage tanks.
>
> Kero has less energy per gallon IIRC, I don’t know if it burns hotter.
I have been using fuel oil for the past 40 years.
back when i lived in a 14X70 mobile home my fuel tank was outside. my 1st fill in the fall would be #2 fuel oil and then i would use #1 when the temps dropped.
the last 35 years i have a tank in the basement and have always used #2 fuel only as it is much cheaper than #1 oil that i had to use with an outdoor tank.
i had a tank spring a leak once. I was on a strucure fire when i got the call from dispatch that i needed to go home because Mrs. Gbro was in a panic because the fuel tank was leaking. I used a toothpick to stop the leak and went back to the fire ground and replaced the tank in the spring. Fuel oil smell is not plesant in the house but there are products that made cleanup managable.
i use Kerosene in my hunting shack in my old Jungers oil burner. anything else will not preform and because of price i have tried #1
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuel-oil-question/637719/27 "2013-07-13T12:40:37Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#):
>
> Kerosene furnaces exist (though not common in the US), but you can’t just use kerosene in your fuel oil burning furnace.
I have. Granted, I was young, stupid, and broke. I was living in a mobile home and a week or so before moving out I ran out of oil. Someone told me I could substitute kerosene. I bought 5 gallons at a gas station and put the supply line into the can. It worked, but smelled awful.
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