You’re Always Safe at Home When You Heat with Oil

The recent Oilheat Consumer Research Study revealed that many people—especially younger ones—have huge misconceptions about the safety of heating with oil. They just didn’t know that oil-heated homes are incredibly safe!

Here’s why.

No explosions. Contrary to what many people believe, heating oil cannot explode. The oil that’s stored in a tank is as likely to explode as the water in a swimming pool. That’s how safe it is to store heating oil in your basement or outside your home.

No fire hazard. Heating oil cannot burn in its liquid state. Before combustion can occur, heating oil must first be vaporized and turned into a fine mist by the burner at temperatures above 140°.

No dangerous surprises. Oil heat poses a very low risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If an oil burner malfunctions (usually due to a lack of maintenance), there will be visible warning signs coming from the system, like smoke or soot; you may also smell an oil odor. Other heating sources—like natural gas—usually do not afford a homeowner this protection.

Bottom line: There are many advantages of heating your home with oil—and safety is at the top of the list for many people.

You can read more about the many benefits of heating oil here.