Innovations in Home Heating Oil: What’s New in the Industry?

In this article, we’ll take a look at what is changing and explore some of the new innovations in home heating oil.

For many people, home heating oil is the only option for heating their home, perhaps due to locality or economic reasons, and adapting your system may feel like an impossibility. However, there have been a number of exciting developments in the home heating oil industry recently, and understanding these can give you a new insight into the options and the impact of our choices.

Innovations in Home Heating Oil: What’s New in the Industry?

For many people, home heating oil is the only option for heating their home, perhaps due to locality or economic reasons, and adapting your system may feel like an impossibility. However, there have been a number of exciting developments in the home heating oil industry recently, and understanding these can give you a new insight into the options and the impact of our choices. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at what is changing and explore some of the new innovations in home heating oil. Many of the changes we see are driven by the need to reduce the impact of our fuel systems on the environment and we will discuss the development of cleaner technologies. It’s a very important time, in which home energy bills and the health of the planet are in the spotlight, so we must equip ourselves to make the best decisions.

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Recent Developments in the Home Heating Oil Industry

Home heating oil has been used for centuries and recent years have seen the introduction of new technologies that increase its energy efficiency and offer a more sustainable solution. Some noteworthy developments include:

• Smart home technology. Many homeowners have already embraced smart home technology that enables them to monitor and control the heating systems in their homes using an interactive app. This system can reduce fuel consumption by giving more control over the usage of home heating oil, especially with the ability to adjust the controls according to the weather, for instance. If you’ve never used smart home technology, you may find the idea overwhelming but many people find that it is surprisingly easy to use and that they love the control it gives them. 

• Renewable energy. Of course, renewable energy sources and supplies are much more readily available today than ever before, although many people cannot access these due to the infrastructure in their area. There are financial schemes and incentives to encourage uptake and the ability to combine home heating options and consider adding options such as solar thermal or biomass systems to your home could be game-changing for you. Using a hybrid system could enable you to use renewable energy when conditions allow and to use your oil heating system as a backup during the coldest times or at times of peak demand, and this can be further optimised if you are using a system that allows for the storage of renewable energy. 

• High-efficiency burners. A modern, energy-efficient boiler will transform your home heating oil usage and consumption, and your choices will be determined by your preferences and your lifestyle. New oil-fired condensing boilers, for instance, can capture surplus heat from flue gases and convert this back into usable heat to increase energy efficiency ratings dramatically, with many systems reaching over 90% efficiency. Burners with variable speed motors and those with more sophisticated fuel atomisation techniques enable more complete combustion, reducing fuel consumption and reducing unburned hydrocarbon emissions. Intelligent controls can also regulate the output based on heating needs, running at a reduced capacity when this is sufficient. 

• Fuels such as Bioheat. The introduction of Bioheat, which integrates biodiesel into home heating oil, means your fuel contains renewable components and creates a much more sustainable option. Traditional heating oil is now routinely combined with renewable sources of biodiesel, such as soybean oil, animal fats and waste vegetable oil, and this often makes up 5-20% of your fuel. This has a significant impact on emissions as well as reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering your carbon footprint. Another option is low-sulphur heating oil, which reduces harmful emissions and extends the life of heating systems as they burn more cleanly. 

• Additives to fuel. The most efficient new heating oil blends now include additives that can improve the stability of the fuel and reduce the formation of sludge in the tank to keep your system cleaner. This makes the system more effective and reduces the need for maintenance interventions, and can also help to ensure reliable output in the cold weather due to additives that prevent gelling of fuel. 

• Initiatives to reduce emissions. Globally, there is much movement on the use of fossil fuels and the introduction of regulations to reduce carbon emissions. Home heating oil has been improved a great deal in this process, and there are carbon offset opportunities more widely available than before. With smart meters and other smart devices, it is possible for homeowners to monitor fuel usage more effectively and this allows for more efficient management of scarce resources. 

• Research into future fuel options. The introduction of hydrogen fuels blended with more stable liquid heating oil offers exciting possibilities for reducing emissions, and this is good news since hydrogen provides a clean burn. Synthetic heating oils are in development, making use of renewable energy sources and captured CO2, and these offer the potential for net-zero emissions in the future. 

Considering these options and keeping yourself informed about developments in the home heating industry can enable you to find the most cost-effective and energy-efficient options for your home. Exploring high-efficiency burners and new fuel blends can increase the sustainability of your heating system and enable you to take more responsibility for the way your home is heated and the impact this has on the planet. 

Top Tips for Managing Your Home Heating Oil System in the Winter

If you rely on heating oil to fuel your home, you may have experienced problems with getting the oil you need at times of high demand. We offer payment plan systems to help prevent you from running out of oil and we also offer an emergency delivery option to ensure you and your family are not left without heating if this happens. However, taking an organised approach to your home heating oil and making sure that you have enough oil and savings to last throughout the year can reduce stress and save you money. 

To calculate how much oil you will use during the winter, you will ideally be able to use your records of previous winters. However, if you have just moved to a property that uses oil, you will need to estimate based on the figures provided by the previous property owner and your own experience. You can talk to a member of our team to help you calculate the likely costs and set up a budgeting system to cover this. Of course, you will use significantly more oil in the winter months than you do during the summer, but you can split the cost throughout the year to make sure that this is affordable. 

Price comparisons can be helpful and you may find that some suppliers offer discounts at certain times of the year. Due to fluctuations in the oil market in response to demand, you are likely to find that your home heating oil is most expensive at the time when you need it most. This means it is more economical to buy your oil when demand is low, and this can also give you peace of mind that you have the oil you need rather than waiting until demand is highest to buy your oil. 

Keeping your heating system well-maintained and clean will help to ensure that it runs smoothly and reduce the likelihood of problems developing. If you are using good-quality fuel and your system is clean, you will be less likely to incur expenses and emergency heating loss. It is well worth taking the time to familiarise yourself with the system you are using and ensure that you are maintaining it correctly. 

Your home heating system will always function more effectively if you are maximising the effects of the heat in your home. For instance, you can reduce heat loss by optimising the retaining properties of your windows and doors, and by using draft excluders to avoid wasted heat. Using other heating measures, such as heated blankets and layering up your clothing, can make a huge difference to the need for heating in your home and you may find that this enables you to keep your thermostat at a lower temperature, saving you money and reducing your carbon footprint. 

Talk to us to find out more about getting the best from your home heating system.

Order Your Heating Oil from East Cork Oil

East Cork Oil is your local supplier of quality assured fuels, and we deliver to homes and businesses across the Southern counties of Ireland. We provide flexible deliveries and an ‘out of oil’ same-day service for emergencies. 

Our experienced team work hard to ensure that you and your family stay warm and cosy all year round and we can offer payment plans and smart tank monitoring to make the process easier for you. We are a friendly, professional team and we will always be happy to discuss the best options for you and your lifestyle and help you to find solutions that work for your home.