In New Hampshire, heating oil is a fact of life: seeing common use as a way to combat our notoriously cold winters. In the United States, the standard heating oil is known as No. 2 oil, or regular fuel oils. It’s used as the standard in most homes, and has replace a number of older oils because it burns more cleanly than they did. (Those older types – known as #6 oil and #4 oil – are still used in commercial power plants and other industrial capacities.) #2 oil is also preferable as a fuel because it’s comparatively hard to set on fire accidentally, requiring a high-voltage spark and oil set at the right pressure.

You might also see #1 oil, also called K1 kerosene which is essentially filtered kerosene. It’s not as efficient as #2 oil, but is more refined and has a lower pour point. It’s often sold as lamp oil in high-end shops, though it rarely sees use in oil furnaces. Instead, home heating oil sometimes appears as a “kerosene mix,” which is a combination of #1 and #2 oil (usually with about 10-20% #1 mixed with 80-90% #2). It will function in your heating system, though it may not burn as efficiently.

Recently, another option has raised its heat. Biofuel – created from vegetable oils such as soybean oil – can be blended with #2 oil or even used straight. It burns efficiently while reducing greenhouse gasses and can be produced in the United States without being exported from somewhere else.

If you have questions regarding New Hampshire heating oil options, talk to an expert before making any decisions. HB Energy offers both traditional heating oil and Bio Heat (a blend of #2 oil and Biofuel), as well as providing diesel fuel and propane. Contact us today and let us help keep your home warm this winter.