Domestic Heating Oil
Rix Petroleum has been supplying domestic heating oil to homes across the UK for over 80 years. We are knowledgeable, family-owned domestic fuel oil suppliers who meet customers’ needs without fuss or hassle.
What is Domestic Heating Oil?
The use of domestic heating oil dates back to 1840s America when M.A. Fessler invented an oil burner to take advantage of the crude oil reserves being extracted in California.
Later, he founded the company Fess System Co., which started the modern oil industry as we know it, creating and selling refined oil products to heat homes and power transport and industry.
Today, heating oil is known by many names. So far, we’ve used domestic heating oil and kerosene interchangeably in this article. But what is kerosene and are they the same thing?
The answer to that is usually! In the UK, most homes that have an oil-fired central heating system use kerosene. However, some older systems still use gas oil; a heavier, less efficient fuel also used to power tractors and agricultural machinery.
So, if your oil boiler is old, or you’re moving to a property with an old oil heating system, you may still need gas oil. Mainly, however, when we talk about heating oil, we’re referring to kerosene. Then there is premium kerosene which burns even more cleanly than the standard product. Our brand of premium kerosene is called K+, and although it costs slightly more, it can help your boiler to run more efficiently and reduce service costs.
And just to confuse things even further, premium kerosene is also known as paraffin!
There are several other names heating oil is known by including domestic heating oil, home heating oil, central heating oil, burning oil, kerosene oil, kerosene heating oil, boiler fuel, boiler juice, kero, and 28-second oil.
This last name refers to its viscosity. It is called 28-second oil because it takes 28 seconds for a specific volume of oil to pass through a particular sized hole.
Another form of heating oil is known as gas oil or red diesel and is used for commercial and agricultural use. It is also referred to as 35 second oil due to its higher viscosity. This form of heating oil is not used as domestic heating oil.
Why use Domestic Heating Oil?
Domestic heating oil burns cleanly and efficiently, which is why 1.5 million homes use it to heat their homes. It is cheaper than gas and economical to produce, making it cost-effective for buyers. Kerosene has a low risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and is viewed as one of the safest fuels you could have in your home. It is also chosen for its strong winter performance, making it a reliable option for heating homes, especially in the chillier seasons!
Domestic heating oil has remained popular as a source of fuel ever since the 1840s for these reasons. It is also incredibly stable and, therefore, safe to transport, and it is the most efficient form of fuel available. This is because it burns at such a high temperature that a lot of heat can be produced from burning a small volume.
Heating oil is a liquid petroleum product refined from crude oil which has a low viscosity. It is this quality that makes it ideal for use as a domestic fuel.
Contact your local depot to discuss your domestic heating oil requirements and domestic oil delivery. You can also browse our informative FAQs section to learn more about heating oil types, systems, prices, safety and maintenance.
Use our helpful heating oil calculator (above) to get an instant heating oil price in your local area.
Talk to your local depot on
0800 542 4207
More Than 80 Years Experience
"Gold Trusted" Supplier for 5th Year Running
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Family-Owned, Family Values
You're in Goods Hands with Rix Petroleum
We pride ourselves on providing customers with highest quality fuels and delivering exceptional standards of customer service.
Satisfied Customers
For five years running, we have been awarded the Gold Trusted Service accreditation from Feefo, the online independent customer review platform. The Gold Trusted Service Awards recognise businesses that deliver exceptional experiences, as rated by genuine customers. Only businesses providing the best level of service for its customers, as rated by them, make the grade. We have a whole host of customers that are happy with their heating oil in Yorkshire.
Established Heritage
We have been delivering home heating oil to our customers for more than 80 years, always offering a flexible, reliable and friendly service. Part of J R Rix & Sons, a family-owned company that has been in operation since 1873, Rix Petroleum has the resources to ensure that customers receive the very best level of service at fair, honest prices. Providing heating oil in Yorkshire is part of our heritage.
Help Lower Energy Bills
The people of Rix Petroleum go above and beyond for their customers. We value your loyalty and work hard to make sure your needs are met professionally and promptly, always. We also understand that it's the little things that can make the biggest difference; our local delivery drivers will always leave your home and garden exactly the way they found it, even if it means simply remembering to close the garden gate on their way out.
Choose Rix as Your Local, Trusted Heating Oil Supplier
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two types of domestic heating oil: gas oil (aka 35-second oil or red diesel) and kerosene (aka 28-second burning oil). Although kerosene is by far the most common form of heating oil, the type you require depends on the system installed in your home, so it is always important to consult the labels on your oil boiler or tank.
If you have the option of using either fuel type, kerosene is preferable, as it is cleaner and more economical. You can even buy premium kerosene, which contains additives that make it burn more efficiently.
Heating oil is also known as kerosene, home heating oil, burning oil, and 28-second burning oil.
The average UK gas customer consumes approximately 14,000 kWh per year. This is equivalent to around 1,400 litres of heating oil.
Most domestic tanks have a capacity of 1,000 to 2,500 litres — check the label if you aren’t sure of yours.
Filling your tank to capacity can be cheaper and more convenient, and helps prevent the build-up of harmful condensation in the summer. This will require a bigger financial outlay, but Rix offers an Easy Payment Plan that allows you to spread the cost across the year.
The minimum order for heating oil is 500 litres.
Heating oil is used to heat your boiler, and is an alternative fuel source to electricity and gas.
Approximately 10% of British households — 2.7 million homes — are not connected to the national gas network. These householders must therefore rely on an alternative fuel to heat their homes.
Used by an estimated 1.5 million British households, heating oil is the most popular alternative. It is typically the most convenient and low-cost solution for households off the national grid.
Heating oil is delivered by fuel tankers which are specially designed for making deliveries to homes. The fuel is then pumped into a heating oil tank which is usually stored outside the house.
Heating oil is predominantly used with a heating oil boiler, which heats the radiators in your home. It can also be used with an oil-fired range cooker, such as an Aga or Rayburn.
It is illegal for heating oil to be used on public roads, as red diesel and kerosene are subject to lower tax rates than diesel sold at petrol stations.
Heating oil is safe, clean, and efficient. In 2010, 4 million tonnes of heating oil were sold, of which 2.5 million tonnes was for domestic heating. New A-rated oil-fuelled boilers can produce up to 97% efficiency, making oil a more economical fuel than others.
Domestic heating oil is also traditionally cheaper than LPG, cleaner and easier to use than solid fuel. It’s also safe and extremely economical.
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