Kerosene Vs. Oil for Home Heating Systems
During winter months, the comforts of home are enhanced greatly by an effective heating system. With an outdated or inefficient system, a family will experience colder temperatures in addition to potentially higher energy bills. Fortunately, there are many options for those looking to reevaluate the type of fuel used for heating a house. Two options are kerosene and oil, both of which come with separate considerations. Does this Spark an idea?
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Usage
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Because kerosene heaters do not require any electricity, they are mostly used as emergency heating, or as a backup option for temporary time periods. Oil heating, however, is commonly used as the main source of heat, particularly in the northeastern regions of the United States. There are approximately 8 million home owners who choose oil to heat their homes, and of that population, nearly 80 percent are located in the northeast.
Types
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Oil heaters typically come in the form of space heaters, boilers or furnaces. Kerosene heaters come in two styles, either radiant or convection. Convection heaters are large and circular in shape, and usually placed in the middle of a room so the heat can spread out evenly in all directions. Radiant heaters generate heat in just one direction, and thus are better suited for placement on walls. The heat output is much stronger on convection heaters, while radiant heaters are better for small homes.
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Efficiency
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A pure kerosene heater has nearly 100 percent efficiency when burning properly, while an oil heater's efficiency rating ranges from the low to mid 80s. Some of the newer models of oil furnaces or boilers actually go a little higher, with a rating of 92 or better. While a standard 22 BTU (British Thermal Unit) kerosene heater will produce about 22,000 BTUs, a typical oil heater might be able to produce up to 138,000 BTUs for each gallon of oil. This means oil is capable of generating far more heat than kerosene.
Cost
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As of November 2009, heating oil was selling for about $2.75 per gallon while kerosene averaged around $2.98 as of October 2009 (see the link in Resources). With the higher heat levels that oil produces, this makes oil a more cost-efficient solution, particularly early in the fall when the prices are the lowest. The biggest concern with oil is the availability. While kerosene fuel is easy to come by, most regions of the country are not in close proximity to oil supply.
Considerations
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Kerosene typically burns much cleaner than anything that requires electricity due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal. However, there are risks for indoor use because of the emissions of carbon dioxide and increased risk of fire. With proper venting installed, though, it is certainly an indoor option. The biggest concern with oil is that the prices fluctuate greatly and could cost a lot of extra money if the price goes up during a particularly cold period.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Daniel Rothamel
