How to Heat Your Home With Biodiesel
Biodiesel has long been used to power diesel vehicles, but it is also an excellent, cleaner-burning replacement for traditional heating oil in an oil-fired furnace or boiler. When it is blended with heating oil for home use, it is usually called Bioheat. For Long Island homeowners, Bioheat is one of the easiest ways to lower emissions without replacing any equipment.
Why Choose Bioheat?
- Non-toxic and biodegradable. It is made from renewable feedstocks such as new and used vegetable oils, recycled restaurant grease, and animal fats.
- Renewable. Fossil fuels take millions of years to form, while biodiesel can be produced in months.
- Cleaner burning. Bioheat produces fewer emissions than petroleum heating oil, and the plants grown to make it help offset the carbon released when it burns.
- Better for your equipment. Biodiesel has natural lubricating properties that can extend the life of your fuel pump and reduce filter wear.
Understanding Bioheat Blends
Bioheat is sold in blends named for the percentage of biodiesel they contain: B5 is 5 percent biodiesel, B20 is 20 percent, and so on up to B100 (pure biodiesel). Lower blends like B5 and B20 work seamlessly in virtually any existing oil heating system with no modifications. New York has steadily increased its minimum biodiesel blend requirements, so most heating oil delivered across Long Island already contains a renewable percentage. The state’s long-term clean-energy goals call for those blends to keep rising over the coming years.
What to Keep in Mind
Using vegetable oils and animal fats as fuel dates back to the early 20th century, so this is a revived idea rather than a new one. A few practical notes if you are moving to higher blends:
- No new equipment required. Bioheat works with your current furnace or boiler and your existing tank. Indoor or underground tanks perform best.
- Cold-weather gelling. Like regular fuel oil, biodiesel can thicken below freezing in an outdoor tank. A tank shed or an adhesive heating element on the tank helps keep it flowing.
- Seals and pumps. Very high concentrations can gradually affect older rubber seals. Starting with a lower blend and stepping up gradually lets your system adjust, and a quick check by an oil burner technician keeps everything in good shape.
Because it is domestically produced, clean-burning, and renewable, many state and federal programs offer incentives that support the Bioheat market. It is a simple, greener way to heat a Long Island home with the same reliable warmth oil heat is known for.
Bioheat and New York’s Clean-Energy Future
Bioheat fits squarely into New York’s long-term climate goals. Because it is a drop-in fuel that works with the heating system you already own, it lets homeowners lower their carbon footprint immediately without an expensive conversion to gas or electric heat. As state blend requirements rise over the coming years, the heating oil delivered across Long Island will keep getting cleaner automatically, with no action needed on your part.
Is Bioheat Right for Your Home?
Do I need to convert my furnace or boiler?
No. Standard Bioheat blends such as B5 and B20 work in virtually any existing oil heating system with no equipment changes.
Will Bioheat heat my home as well as regular oil?
Yes. Bioheat delivers the same dependable, high-heat performance oil heat is known for, and it can run cleaner and lubricate your system better.
Does Bioheat cost more?
Pricing is competitive with conventional heating oil, and the cleaner burn can reduce maintenance and extend equipment life, helping offset any small difference over time.
For more information on biodiesel, visit the U.S. Department of Energy. To ask about clean-burning Bioheat delivery, call Domino Fuel at 631-779-3196 or see today’s price.