Can My Home’s Heating Oil Freeze?

Among home energy fuels, heating oil is the BTU king, providing more heat per gallon than any other fuel. But when it comes to withstanding extreme cold, heating oil doesn’t fare as well.

Like water, heating oil begins to freeze when temperatures drop (in heating oil’s case, that point is 16°F rather than the 32°F freezing point of water). But unlike water, which turns into a solid, heating oil simply gets thicker, transforming into a waxy sludge. This thickening is called gelling.

When heating oil starts to gel – and before it has become too viscous to flow at all – wax particles (sometimes called platelets or crystals) form in the fuel. These waxy particles can affect your heating system in multiple ways. Here are some of the components that can be harmed by gelled heating oil:

• The tank — Heavier gelled oil settles to the bottom of your heating oil tank; as more of it settles, less burnable oil remains.
• The oil lines — As gelled oil is pumped through heating oil lines, it builds on the walls, narrowing the passage way like a clogged artery. With less fuel reaching the igniter, efficiency suffers.
• The atomizing nozzle — To burn, your heating oil must first turned into a vapor – a process that occurs in the atomizing nozzle. Gelled fuel will block the atomizing nozzle, allowing less oil through to convert to heat.
• The oil filter — As gelled oil is forced through the filter, it clogs quickly and needs more frequent replacement.

Cold Weather Heating Oil Solutions

If you have an outdoor heating oil tank – or if conditions subject your indoor heating oil tank to freezing temperatures – we highly recommend including a fuel additive to mix with your winter heating oil deliveries. Contact us today to learn about fuel additives for your heating oil.

Need reliable heating oil deliveries in New Jersey this winter? Trust the pros at JW Pierson. Contact us today to join the JW Pierson family of customers!