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.
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.
Either people are stupider than we think, or reporters more gullible than we think. A recent report:
http://www.saanichnews.com/news/140085213.html
More helpful advice:
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.
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.
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
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.