# Types of home heating oil



## macker7963 (11 Mar 2009)

When I order a fillup of central heating oil I'm always asked if I want kerosene or ordinary home heating oil. I always say to give me what I got last time, which is ordinary home heating oil. Could my system use kerosene if it was all I could get?


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## woodbine (11 Mar 2009)

the only two heating oil products i know are kerosene or mgo (also known as marked gas oil, green diesel, agri diesel, or ..dirty diesel) and the majority of oil heating systems use kerosene. 

only a very small percentage of homes use mgo. 

i think some systems can work on either but they are usually set up so that one of the products _*should*_ be used.

maybe someone more knowledgable than me can give you better info...daveyjones?


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## DavyJones (11 Mar 2009)

woodbine said:


> the only two heating oil products i know are kerosene or mgo (also known as marked gas oil, green diesel, agri diesel, or ..dirty diesel) and the majority of oil heating systems use kerosene.
> 
> only a very small percentage of homes use mgo.
> 
> ...




Thats pretty spot on. Your burner can be adjusted to take one or the other. Kerosene burns much cleaner than diesel. Diesel is uncommon.

Most people that burn diesel are farmers or people that buy alot of diesel for machinery etc.


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## manta356 (12 Mar 2009)

A diesel burner will usually burn kerosene no problem,but a kerosene burner will not burn diesel.Most burners these days use kerosene as it's far cleaner.


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## davidoco (13 Mar 2009)

macker7963 said:


> ...... if I want kerosene or ordinary home heating oil.....


 

If any event if you look into your oil tank 

kerosene is Red
Marked Gas Oil or Diesel is green


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## DGOBS (13 Mar 2009)

Also worth noting, low level flues are not permitted to run gas oil, only kero

Most burners can be adjusted to either

you can't use gas oil on condensing boilers

kero is cleaner (although harder on the burner components)


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