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Host Gary Sutton sat down with Anthony Zic, Home Services General Manager at Shipley Energy, to discuss how homeowners can prepare their heating systems for winter and avoid costly breakdowns when temperatures drop. Key highlights from the conversation include:
Take a deeper dive into critical backup fuel, emergency preparedness strategies, and how businesses can build energy resilience before a crisis hits. Enjoy more episodes of the Energy Exchange podcast.
Gary Sutton: Welcome to another Energy Exchange. Today I’m going to be exchanging with Anthony Zic, home services general manager with Shipley Energy. When it comes to your home’s heating system, what’s the first thing a homeowner should do to get ready for the winter?
Anthony Zic: You should schedule some annual maintenance. That’s the best way to make sure your system is running. And then with our technicians getting eyes on it before the heating season, we can kind of see if there’s anything that we would recommend that we could see that might be an issue in the future. That way, on those coldest day of the year, you know, you have heat.
Gary: As people, we normally go through an annual checkup. Well, it’s no different for heating systems, right? And to keep the system’s longevity, it’s a good idea to have an annual checkup. Talk a little bit about why the annual checkup?
Anthony: Well, they prevent breakdowns, increase efficiencies, and extend the longevity of the system.
Gary: Yeah. And we all want to extend the longevity obviously and save on costs. And that’s a big thing that Shipley Energy I know worries about all the time. What’s the difference between a furnace and a boiler and how do you maintain each of those? Are there differences in maintaining each of those kinds of things?
Anthony: So there are similarities with different aspects. A furnace, it involves blowing warm air throughout the house. So it’s your ducted system. And with that you have air filters you want to replace. And then a boiler, you’re pumping hot water through the house through radiators or baseboards. And with that, usually have some sort of fuel filter. But with both, you know, there is combustion, so you want to get in there and make sure everything is clean and running safely.
Gary: What are the types of breakdowns that are most common during the first real cold start that comes in the winter?
Anthony: The biggest issues typically are ignition failures or electrical issues where a thermostat isn’t really talking to the system.
Gary: What are some early signs that your furnace is likely to fail in the middle of winter?
Anthony: Strange noises. You know, it starts making noises you’re not used to. It would be a good time to call, uneven heating, cycling on and off out of the normal usage. And then, just rising energy bills.
Gary: If your system does need a repair, what’s the process for diagnosing the issue? I mean, how long does a repair typically take for something like that?
Anthony: Well, first thing you call Shipley Energy, and then once we get to the house, we do a diagnostic. And then with that, we can tell you what’s wrong with the system, and we give you a nice upfront pricing. And then from there, as long as you agree with it, we can get the system up and running.
Gary: Now, when I was a boy… that’s how you know you’re older… when I was a boy, the average lifespan for a furnace seemed like forever. But today, what’s the average lifespan for a furnace nowadays, here in modern times?
Anthony: You’re looking at that 15 to 20 year, range.
Gary: Okay, and again, constant maintenance on that.
Anthony: Constant maintenance. You know, there is combustion. When there is combustion, there’s some sort of residue left over. And you’ve got to make sure it’s getting cleaned.
Gary: And again, we return back: that idea of that annual checkup is really good. But what are some of the benefits of replacing your system before winter rather than waiting?
Anthony: The good thing is you don’t have to worry about a day or two without heat, you know, and that can lead to pipes freezing or anything like that. So if you have an older system, you know, in that 15 to 20 year range, or at least want to start thinking about replacing that system.
Gary: When replacing your system, what should people who don’t know a lot about it generally kind of look for?
Anthony: You want a reputable company like Shipley Energy coming out, you know, fully insured. And then someone willing to give you upfront pricing with a couple of different options.
Gary: So walk us through an installation that Shipley might do and what do your customers kind of expect in the long run.
Anthony: Personally, I don’t like installing anything that I wouldn’t put in my own house. So it’s quality. And we show up and we treat it like it’s our own house. We don’t leave a mess and we do everything right. And if there is an issue, 24/7 you call us and we’ll be there
Gary: I love it. That’s a major difference because a lot of people come out and install something like it’s not their own house, right? That’s a great answer because people want to know that you care about their house the way they do. Does getting a new system or installing a smart thermostat help consumers save on their energy bills.
Anthony: Yeah, the systems themselves are more efficient. So the more efficient system, you’ll save on your fuel pricing. And then with the connected thermostats and everything, you can keep an eye on your house. You can turn the system up or down, but either if you’re in the house or even if you’re at work.
Gary: Shipley Energy, they are the energy company for your community right here, and they are ready to help you every day. They’re the people you’ll see every day that the people who live in the community with you. And they’re the people who treat your home like you treat your home. And thanks for this Energy Exchange. And it’s been really good being with you. And, thanks so much. And again, all brought to you by Shipley Energy. I’m Gary Sutton.
Don’t wait for your home heating to fail. Contact Shipley Energy today to make sure your system is ready for the winter and to save on expensive system replacements.
