When the temperature outdoors drops below freezing, the heating oil in your outdoor tank starts to thicken. This thickening is commonly referred to as “gelling”.
The heating oil doesn’t freeze but instead turns into a gel-like material. The reason for this is that the paraffin or wax in heating oil starts to crystallize, separating itself from the oil compound. Fuel gelling brings its own set of challenges because the accumulation of paraffin and wax starts to clog fuel lines and filters, making your heating system unable to perform its proper function.
A simple step you can take to prevent gelling from occurring is to include a heating oil additive with each winter delivery. Liberty Discount Fuel offers heating oil additive for $18.00 with your delivery. Select the “Hot Shot Heating Oil Treatment” at checkout during your next order. This simple step will help ensure that your oil heating system performs at peak efficiency during the cold winter months.