At what point does heating oil freeze or gel?
Jan 02, 2024
When you are ordering heating fuel, an important factor to keep in mind is the location of the tank. If the tank and its fuel inside is exposed to temperatures that could potentially fall below 17 degrees, then it is incredibly important to order the appropriate fuel.
Heating oil gels (heating fuels won’t freeze like ice, but they will become sludgy or “gel”) if it reaches a temperature of 17.5 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. If this were to occur, the heating oil would not be able to freely flow from the tank to the furnace and your heating source could shut off. Kerosene will gel at a temperature of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. We also offer a 50/50 blend of heating oil and kerosene, which would have a gel point around -11 degrees Fahrenheit.
To sum up, heating oil will gel at 17.5 degrees Fahrenheit, 50/50 heating oil and kerosene blend will gel at -11 degrees Fahrenheit, and kerosene will gel at -40 degrees Fahrenheit. This post is for educational purposes – please contact us in the office at 814-944-7561 if you have any questions before making a decision on your heat fuel selection.