Which heating oil?

mcguiver

Silly question folks.
How do you tell what type of home heating oil a system takes?
I've moved into a house with an empty oil tank, and there's no labels anywhere mentioning if it's kerosene or diesel!
Nothing on the tank or boiler unit!

Avns1s

It's most likely to be kerosene.

Kerosene and Diesel are kinda interchangeable anyway. It just involves an adjustment to the pressure of the pump on the burner.

I'd get kerosene as it's cleaner and cheaper and get your plumber to adjust the pressure if necessary.


Also, you could take a sample of the oil left in the tank if any. Diesel will be greenish. Kerosene will be almost clear.

JamesM

Diesel is green. Kerosene is pink. Don't use the wrong one without getting a service engineer to re-set the burner.
If it's a fairly new boiler, or if it is in the house, it's most likely set up for kerosene. An older boiler, especially if it is in an outside boiler house could well be diesel (or gas oil).
You cannot use diesel in a condensing boiler - no matter what adjustments you make.
Jim.

mcguiver

Cheers for the responses,

I managed to get a sample out of the bottom of the tank, it's a reddish colour.
The house dates from the 1950's but I'm guessin from the electrical fittings/timer that the system is 10-15 years old. Previous owner died a few years ago, so cant ask them !
The boiler is a firebird 90 and its in an outdoor shed

JamesM

mcguiver wrote: »

Cheers for the responses,

I managed to get a sample out of the bottom of the tank, it's a reddish colour.
The house dates from the 1950's but I'm guessin from the electrical fittings/timer that the system is 10-15 years old. Previous owner died a few years ago, so cant ask them !
The boiler is a firebird 90 and its in an outdoor shed

Reddish is kerosene.
Jim.

OilBoss

definitely kerosene if red....99.9% all domestic heating systems are this....also this wont freeze when temperature goes under -12%..diesel may....much cleaner and better btu's....enjoy....