red deisil instead of heating oil??

[irelanddream]

I was recently told by my neighbour that she was using red deisil in place of regular heating oil? Is this safe enough? She said that the oil guy said it was ok but not to use it all the time? this sound right to any one? I am only asking because where we are at the minute it costs us �300.00 for 500 liters and if you ARE able than we may have heat again!
Thanks!

[Richard1966]

Red diesel is ordinary diesel with a dye added. Its exempt from tax (so cheaper) because it is meant to be used in vehicles that don't drive (other than a few miles each year) on public roads. So tractors, combine harvesters etc are ok but use it anywhere else are you could be prosecuted and fined heavily. As well as having to deal with the taxman.

The red dye is used t identify it as non taxed fuel.

This sounds very iffy to me.

[gonzo00]

i run my heating on red deisel when times are tough...the red comes free from work! most burners will run great on red deisel but if you intend to use red deisel all of the time then have a heating engineer come out to change the burner jet to a suitable one/adjust your burner pump pressure to suit depending on which type of burner you have..this is because deisel burns at a slightly lower temperature than kerosene (heating oil). if you're only gonna use it for a few weeks then it will run fine.
don't know what the financial advantage would be as red deisel is now 60p a litre!

[gonzo00]

ps. there is no law against running your heating on red deisel..most farmers would run their aga's linked to the red deisel tank used for filling the farm machinery!

[dinsdale]

Its fine its the same stuff, just a different dye added for taxation purposes

[Richard1966]

gonzo00,

your correct. I have been checking the Rev and Customer web site for this and their is no penalty for using red diesel for heating.

However as the website also states that heating oil is zero rated i cant see where the saving comes from

[Panic Button]

Heating oil is not zero rated. It is taxed with VAT at 5%, just like leccy and gas.

Red diesel is also not exempt from tax, but simply has a considerably lower level of duty than road diesel. I cannot quote the tax level on it, so I don't know how it compares with heating oil.

[buildersmate]

Can't see the possible advantage of doing this.
Red diesel is 60p per litre
Heating oil is 57p per litre.
Both prices subject to 5% VAT.
Unless someone can tell me that the calorific value of diesel is much higher.