We care about your safety...here are some tips YOU can use to keep you and your family safe!

• Regular inspections and cleanings of your heating system help to ensure maximum efficiency during the winter months. Remember the top bullet point above!
  
• Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly. It is the byproduct of incomplete combustion of any type of fossil fuel, including Bioheat™ Heating Oil, coal and natural gas. Symptoms of CO poisoning are "flu-like" and include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and confusion. You should suspect the presence of CO if your symptoms improve or disappear when you leave a particular building where you think there may be a buildup of CO. If that occurs, here are some lifesaving tips:
  -Open all windows and doors to let in the fresh air.
  -Call your fuel supplier or a licensed heating contractor immediately for an emergency inspection.
  -Seek medical attention immediately.
  -Have a carbon monoxide detector working in your home at all times.

• Keep combustible materials such as papers, fluids, paints, curtains and rags away from furnaces, water heaters and gas ranges and dryers.
  
• Keep all pilot lights lit as dangerous buildups of gas can occur if they are not.
  
• Clear chimneys, vents and flues. Leaves, birds' nests, fallen bricks or mortar can mean problems, including exposure to carbon monoxide (CO).
  
• See that your heating equipment is clean and in good working order. Properly adjusted pilots and burners and clean filters pay off in both safety and savings.

What to do in event of a gas leak:
If you happen to detect that "rotten eggs" smell in your home, Shipley recommends that the following actions be immediately taken:

• Do not operate electric switches, appliances or flashlights.
  
• Do not light matches and be sure to extinguish any open flames, such as candles.
  
• Leave doors and windows open, but don't take the time to open them if they are closed.
  
• Leave the premises and call Shipley immediately from a nearby phone or cell phone.
  
• Do not reenter your home until a certified Shipley technician or other specialists has given you the ok.

Propane Safety Tips:
Propane Gas leak instructions are the same as Natural Gas leak instructions, just centered around the odor of propane.

• Always keep flammable and combustible materials (e.g., paper, clothing, wood, gasoline, and solvents) away from any open flames that originate from your appliances.
  
• Know how to shut off the gas supply from your tank or cylinder. If you do not know how, contact your propane supplier for instructions.
  
• Never place your head near or directly over the valves on your storage tank. A sudden release of product from the safety relief valve could result in serious injury.
  
• The propane liquid that is stored in your tank or cylinder can cause severe frostbite if it comes in contact with your skin or eyes.
  
• Never store propane cylinders or containers inside any enclosed building.
  
• Treat all propane gas odors seriously. Any odors may indicate a very dangerous situation.
  
• Never assume that propane odor is only the result of your tank being near empty. If the odor persists, you may have a serious leak.
  
• You should contact Shipley if you suspect a leak.

• Oil heat is one of the safest fuels ever developed. It is a clear, champagne-colored liquid that's nontoxic and non-explosive.
  
• With home Bioheat™ Heating Oil systems, carbon monoxide leaks rarely come without warning. Smoke, soot and odors serve as early indicators that something is wrong‹before dangerous carbon monoxide can be released into the air.
  
• Bioheat™ Heating Oil is nonflammable in a liquid state.
  
• Contrary to popular belief, the oil burner does not actually burn oil. Instead it combines fuel oil from your tank with just the right amount of air and then delivers it to the point of ignition at the burner head. This burning mixture of oil and air heats the air, water or steam that's circulated through your home.
  
• The best tip for Bioheat™ Heating Oil that can be offered is the fact that there is a general misconception about the safety and efficiency of its use. Both of these concerns are not valid though as technology has allowed the safest and most efficient heating systems possible.