If you have a lot of waste oil lying around, you might be tempted to toss it in your furnace. At a glance, this can seem like a cheap and efficient way of warming the house. However, it’s not always advisable and may lead to repairs. Before you use old waste oil in your furnace, there are a few things you need to know.
Standard Furnaces Won’t Work With Waste Oil
If you have a standard gas, electric, or propane furnace, powering it with waste oil won’t be an option. These furnaces are meant to run on an entirely different fuel source, so oil in general doesn’t work for them.
If you have an oil furnace, things get a little more complex. Technically speaking, your furnace will run on waste oil, but it’s a very bad idea. Waste oil is filled with small particulates that can clog and damage a furnace. Furthermore, waste oil is filled with a variety of toxic byproducts. A standard oil furnace can end up releasing these byproducts directly into the air and harming your indoor air quality.
It Is Possible to Convert Your Furnace to Run on Waste Oil
The typical homeowner might not be able to pour a bunch of waste oil in their furnace, but that doesn’t mean you can never heat your home with waste oil. Some types of heaters are designed specifically to burn waste oil.
If you already like your current heater, you also have the option of adding a special waste oil burner to your home furnace. This conversion lets you burn waste oil safely and warm your home efficiently.
If you’re looking for ways to save money on your heating bills, Mike's Heating and Air is happy to help. We’re here to answer all your questions and help you find the right heating solution for your needs. Our team also offers a variety of other HVAC heating and cooling services to residents of Albany, including indoor air quality assessments. Give us a call today to find out more.
