Used Cooking Oil for Fuel vs Used Motor Oil: Waste Oils Are Not the Same

vegetable oil fuel and used cooking oil for fuel to heat buildingEver drive by a waste oil drop-off location and wonder what it is? These drop-off sites are becoming more common across the country and allow consumers to safely dispose of used oil without sending it to the landfill or polluting the ground soil by dumping. Some used oil drop-off sites are public service and awareness in nature and others could be volunteer/fundraising related.

The fact is more people are learning about waste oil heating every day and exploring viable options to heat in their businesses, shops, livestock facilities, trucking bays, and green houses.

Which kind of used oil can be burned in a used oil heater?

Used vegetable oil/cooking oil is different than used motor oil, yet they are all referred to as waste oils. The desire and accessibility for people to burn vegetable oil for fuel, biofuels and their byproducts has grown in the past few years, making it more appealing as a fuel source. Using them in waste oil burners is a common practice. These types of oils produce heat and provide energy for many applications, although not as much as an equal volume of used motor oil.

Concerns with burning used cooking oil for fuel?

The most common concern with burning used cooking oil for fuel in a waste oil heater is an increased need to do maintenance of the burner and heat exchangers more frequently. The burner systems will need a quick cleaning of the nozzle area about every two weeks to maintain best performance when burning used cooking oil. In comparison, burners that fire used motor oils only need attention every few months. The popularity of waste oil heaters is spreading, and we’re glad we can provide cutting-edge equipment to keep up with demands.