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From: kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.comics.strips
Subject: Re: xkcd: Neighbor-Source Heat Pump
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2025 11:30:54 -0400 (EDT)
Organization: Former users of Netcom shell (1989-2000)
Message-ID: <1026une$9s7$1@panix2.panix.com>
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Thomas Koenig  <tkoenig@netcologne.de> wrote:
>Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> schrieb:
>
>> Oil for heating is the worst thing ever.  Expensive and dirty.
>
>What qualities of oil are used in the US for heating?
>
>Here in Germany, it is a light fuel oil, pretty much identical to
>Diesel (they add dye to it to make sure it isn't used in vehicles
>because the two are taxed differentiy).  It is also low on sulphur,
>if that is what you were referring to.  Plus, emission limits are
>pretty strict and checked anually.

Yes, we have #2 Fuel Oil, which is like a poor quality diesel.  It's not
filtered very well and it has a lot more varnish-making stuff in it.  But
overall composition is similar but it's not as well-refined.

It burns way cleaner than maritime HFO, but it's still very dirty compared
with burning natural gas or propane.

Some people will use #1 Fuel Oil which is thicker and burns less cleanly,
especially in rural areas.  It has more sulfur in it than diesel or #2.

Occasionally you will see apartment buildings and other places with big
boilers that burn #6 fuel oil which is the cheapest and stinkiest alternative.
It's thick enough that they don't use it in really cold climates though.
And it's still less nasty than HFO.
--scott
-- 
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."