In this article, we’ve put together a short explanation to help anyone who has ever pondered over the difference between paraffin and kerosene.
The names kerosene and paraffin are often used interchangeably, but there are in fact some distinctive differences between the two fuels.
Whilst many people believe that kerosene and paraffin are essentially the same product, there are some subtle but important differences between the two.
Both of these oils are designed to work perfectly for different applications, which is why you should keep in mind their differences to better understand which would be more suitable for your intended usage.
Paraffin vs kerosene
If you’ve been researching heating oil, then you’ve probably come across the terms: paraffin and kerosene. This can depend on your location as the term kerosene is popular in America, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, India and Australia, whereas paraffin is more common in the UK, Chile, Norway and South and East Africa.
However, while both fuels have similarities, paraffin has a wider meaning and range of uses.
So, before we go further into their differences, it’s important to also understand kerosene.
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Why do people think kerosene and paraffin are the same?
Over the years, the names kerosene and paraffin, with the two fuels names becoming interchangeable by many people. This most likely happened due them both being very similar kinds of oil.
Kerosene is often referred to as paraffin in the UK, but also in parts of East and South Africa too. However, if you ever find yourself in America and need to buy kerosene, then we advise you to ask for kerosene since nearly everybody stateside will know it as kerosene, rather than paraffin.
What is kerosene?
Kerosene (heating oil, 28-second oil or diesel fuel oil) is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid that’s name derives from Greek κηρός which means wax. It’s the best fuel to power your boiler to provide heating and hot water as it’s clean, light and efficient and is used by over 1.5 million off-the-grid homes across the UK. With a high flashpoint, it’s an extremely safe fuel for domestic heating systems.
Kerosene is a combination of hydrocarbons, but its precise chemical composition depends on its source. Its main elements are saturated straight-chain and branch-chain paraffins, as well as cycloparaffins, hence why it’s often referred to as paraffin.
Kerosene uses
Before the widespread adoption of gas and electricity, kerosene was used worldwide for lighting and heating, and this is how Crown Oil began. In 1927, founder Harry Greensmith (who had the affectionate nickname “Harry Lamp Oil”) began selling kerosene door to door in Heywood, Greater Manchester before founding Crown Oil and expanding to supplying a wider product range more nationally.
Kerosene has several additional uses, such as:
- to provide lighting in oil lamps
- for fuel in jet engines
- You can learn more about kerosene in our guide.
Can I use paraffin instead of kerosene?
In the UK, when talking about heating oil, kerosene is commonly referred to as paraffin so it’s most likely the same product. However, paraffin can sometimes refer to a more refined and distilled form of kerosene, allowing it to be used indoors such as in lamps and stoves. This form of paraffin often contains additives to reduce its odor.
When should I use kerosene and paraffin?
If you plan to use kerosene or paraffin for stoves and lighting, (although this would be somewhat unlikely, even in more remote areas thanks to bottled gas and batteries to store power for lighting), your best option would be to use paraffin due to the reduced odor and soot build-up.
If you’re located in a remote area and do not have gas mains access to your property, your best option would be to use kerosene as this oil is more suited for use in home heating systems.
Difference in the odors they give off?
Thanks to modern homes now relying on electricity to provide lighting, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll find homes lit by paraffin lamps in the UK, which were originally designed to be used indoors to generate heat.
So, whilst kerosene does carry a noticeable odor, paraffin tends to include additives that help reduce the odors it gives off. This makes it a little more suitable for use in your home. A similar procedure is carried out to make kerosene more suitable for use in home barbeques and the pharmaceutical industry.
If you have ever used kerosene for your home heating system, then you may have noticed that it can carry a particularly strong odor. While this isn’t really a problem when you are using it for your boiler, it would be an issue if you were using it indoors.
Refined and distilled processes
Paraffin tends to be a more refined and distilled version of kerosene. This makes it more suitable for use within the home.
Paraffin is more refined, which ensures that it will produce a lot less soot when it’s burnt. This is important for those who would have (and of course still continue to use in more remote areas) for stoves and in lamps to light their homes.
The build-up of soot in the home can not only be unpleasant but also harmful if breathed in. The soot would also accumulate in the glass used to protect the lighting flame, limiting the amount of light it was able to emit, and therefore its effectiveness.
If regular kerosene was used in a stove or a lamp, the build-up of soot would likely soon become an issue if measures weren’t taken to limit the affects it was having within the home and the glass protector on the lamp.