Written on: October 17, 2022
Homeowners who use heating oil know that it’s the best way to keep their Hudson Valley home warm, safe, and comfortable. That’s because no other fuel can heat your home as quickly as heating oil.
You can enjoy the advantages of heating oil without worry if you select Mazzola Oil as your heating oil supplier. That’s because we are the Hudson Valley’s leader for reliable heating oil delivery with the option of hassle-free, worry-free Automatic Delivery.
If you don’t know much about heating oil, we’ve put together some basic information.
Both No. 2 heating oil and diesel fuels are distillates derived from crude oil and have a low viscosity. While these two fuels have nearly the same chemical makeup, they are used quite differently.
No. 2 heating oil, like off-road diesel fuel, is dyed red to so you can tell it apart from the taxed on-road diesel fuel. Because people use No. 2 heating oil in their boilers or furnaces to heat their houses and not for on-road transportation, like off-road diesel fuel, it is not subject to the federal excise tax. The red dye ensures that it cannot be sold for use in on-road vehicles, which can lead to hefty fines and potential criminal charges.
No. 2 heating oil is also commonly called home heating oil or fuel oil so that it does not get confused with diesel fuels.
As with diesel fuel, No. 2 heating oil has a winterized variety known as winter blend. This winter blend is a combination of No. 2 heating oil and No. 1 heating oil (also called stove oil). This winter blend is less viscous, less prone to gelling in extreme cold, and easier on your furnace or boiler. Winter blend is also sometimes referred to as kerosene mix. Homes in very cold areas with outdoor heating oil tanks may choose winter blend.
The heating oil delivered by Mazzola Oil isn’t the same as what was offered a decade or two ago.
Many of these changes are a result of the heating oil’s commitment to creating a cleaner burning heating oil that is much more environmentally friendly than the heating oil of your parents’ or grandparents’ generation. This commitment has led to some huge advancements in heating oil.
A major change has been the development of ultra-low sulfur heating oil (ULSHO). Since 2018, New York State has required that all heating oil be delivered by ultra-low sulfur heating oil.
ULSHO has 15 parts-per-million (PPM)or less of sulfur, compared with 500 PPM of traditional heating oil.
The reduced amount of sulfur in ULSHO provides a wide range of advantages. First, greenhouse gas emissions are dramatically reduced from those of traditional heating oil, making it better for the environment as the world continues to battle climate change.
Lower sulfur is also better for you and your home’s heating system. Heating oil with less sulfur allows your heating equipment to work more efficiently, which may help you save a lot of money on winter energy bills!
With the reduction of sulfur, fewer deposits are left on heat exchangers in furnaces or boilers. As a result, wear and tear on furnaces is reduced, meaning they run more smoothly with decreased breakdowns and extended life expectancy.
This is just the start of many more improvements as the heating oil industry strives for net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. The use of biodiesels, created from natural resources like plant oils, animal fats, and algae, promises to be even cleaner burning while reducing dependence on foreign oil.
Whether you’re in Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie, Arlington, or other nearby Hudson Valley communities, Mazzola Oil gives you heating oil delivery you can count on to keep your home warm and comfy. Become a Mazzola Oil customer today!