For more than 70 years, E.J. Harrold, Inc. has been helping families throughout the Marple Newtown area stay warm in the winter, cool in the summer and comfortable in their homes year after year. Today, the family-owned business is led by the third generation, Joe Harrold and his brother Tim, who continue a tradition that began with their grandfather in 1954.
Edward J. Harrold founded the company, building it by providing heating oil and dependable service to families throughout the community. Over the years, Ed’s sons, Ed Harrold, Jr. and Joe Harrold, Sr., worked alongside him, helping grow the company and building the relationships that became the foundation of E.J. Harrold’s success.
Joe Harrold, Sr. passed away in 2024, and Ed Harrold, Jr. remains involved with the business. Joe’s sons, Joe and Tim, continue to lead the family business, building on the foundation established by their grandfather and carried forward by the generations before them.
For Joe and Tim, continuing the business is about much more than maintaining a company name. They are lifelong Marple Newtown residents who live in the same community where they work, and they understand the importance of being there for the people they serve. “We live here and we work here,” Joe said. “Our reputation is important to us, and it is important within our community.”
That reputation has been built over decades, with many local homes having been serviced exclusively by E.J. Harrold. In some cases, the company has cared for the same families for generations. Customers know the Harrolds, know their technicians and know that when they call, they are dealing with a local business that values their trust.
According to Joe, that long-term relationship is at the heart of how the company operates. E.J. Harrold focuses on doing quality work at reasonable prices and relies heavily on repeat business rather than trying to maximize every individual service call.
“We take good care of our customers,” Joe said. “We do good work for a reasonable price, and we have customers who have been with us for generations because they know us and trust us.”
That philosophy is especially meaningful at a time when many longtime local businesses are being purchased by larger corporations and investment groups. E.J. Harrold has chosen a different path, remaining independently owned and committed to the customers and community it has served for decades.
When customers call E.J. Harrold, they are not simply being connected with a distant customer service department. Joe and Tim are directly involved in answering calls and working with customers. Their goal is to provide honest recommendations and reliable service without pushing homeowners toward products or services they do not need. “We are not looking to upsell people,” Joe explained. “We are honest and reliable. If something doesn’t need to be replaced, we’re going to tell you that.”
That approach extends across the company’s services, which include heating oil delivery, heating system service and installation, air conditioning installation and service and indoor air quality solutions. The company works with furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, water heaters, central air conditioning systems and ductless mini-split systems, helping homeowners maintain comfortable and efficient homes throughout the year.
E.J. Harrold also provides heating oil delivery with automatic and call-in options, helping customers keep their homes supplied throughout the colder months. Regular maintenance and tune-ups help identify potential problems before they become major repairs and keep heating equipment running efficiently.
For customers who have been with the company for years, those services are only part of why they keep calling E.J. Harrold. The personal connection matters just as much.
Joe and Tim have grown up in the community and understand that the homes they visit are not simply addresses on a service list. They belong to friends, neighbors and families they may have known for years. That connection creates a sense of accountability that can be difficult to replicate in a larger corporate setting. “Our customers know who we are,” Joe said. “We want them to know that when they call, they are getting us. We are here, and we care about doing the right thing for them.”
As E.J. Harrold enters its next chapter, Joe and Tim remain focused on preserv- ing the qualities that have kept the com- pany in business since 1954: person- al service, honest pricing, quality workmanship and a genuine commitment to the community.
For Newtown Square and the surrounding communities, E.J. Harrold represents something increasingly valuable: a local business that has grown alongside the families it serves and remains committed to staying local for the next generation.
As the newest Sponsor of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors, E.J. Harrold is proud to continue being part of the community it has called home for more than seven decades. For Joe and Tim, the goal is simple: take care of their customers, do good work and continue the family tradition that began with their grandfather more than 70 years ago.
For more information about E.J. Harrold’s heating oil delivery, heating, air conditioning and home comfort services, please visit EJHarrold.com or call 610-356-2491.