When The Power Is Out, GOT HEAT?

When a storm strikes without warning, you and your family are totally dependent on resources outside of your control to heat and light your home. Being independent enough to manage without electricity for a few days will give you a sense of security as well as allow you to relax and enjoy the company of the ones you love in an intimate, rustic setting. Call Servco to install a wood stove or a wood burning fireplace insert. Wood stoves & inserts are extremely simple and efficient, and will keep your entire home warm enough to be comfortable in. You can even cook or heat water on them. Transform that inefficient masonry fireplace with a wood burning insert and still enjoy the sights, sounds and scents of a wood burning fire. Enjoy the view through the large glass door.

This could be your living room! Give Servco a call today, (541)451-5090

 The Republic 1250i wood burning insert is clean, green and efficient. This wood burning insert can turn your old, inefficient open masonry fireplace into a great heat source for your home. The Republic 1250i insert is more than five times as efficient as an open fireplace and features a built-in convection chamber to circulate and distribute heat throughout your home. Republic inserts will provide your family with a reliable heat source - Even during power outages.

Servco Has Solar Water Heaters & Certified Technicians!

An ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heating system can cut your annual hot water costs in half, and is generally designed for use with an electric or gas back-up water heater.

Solar water heaters -- also called solar domestic hot water systems -- can be a cost-effective way to generate hot water for your home. They can be used in any climate, and the fuel they use -- sunshine -- is free.

Demonstrate your environmental leadership by voting with your wallet for renewable energy solutions. Purchase an ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heater for your home and enjoy these benefits:
Save money. By using sunshine to heat or preheat your water, you can cut your water heating bill in half. This means you can save $190 annually if you combine solar with a backup gas-storage water heater instead of using the gas water heater alone. If you have an electric tank water heater for back-up, you'll save about $250 each year on electricity bills. Large families with greater hot water needs can save even more.

 

 Invest in a better environment. Water heated by the sun just feels better. The purchase of a solar system can take about 10 years to pay for itself, but by taking advantage of Federal tax credits you can recoup the price premium more quickly. In the meantime, your investment will pay dividends for the environment. ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heaters can cut your carbon dioxide emissions in half. Installing a qualified solar water heater will reduce the load of your electric water heater by almost 2,500 kWh per year, preventing 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually. This is the equivalent of not driving your car for four months every year!


Long lifetime. The average life expectancy of qualified solar water heating systems is 20 years, much longer than standard gas or electric storage water heaters.

Call today for your free estimate! (541) 451-5090 or drop us an e-mail.
Lebanon Servco Inc. 1200 E Grant St. Lebanon, OR 97355 

Sunshine is free! Imagine using it to heat your water. ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heaters can cut your water heating bills in half and reduce your carbon footprint. Install a qualified solar water heater and start wearing your eco-consciousness on your roof!

Maintaining The Perfect Temperature

            Summer is still with us, but here in the great Northwest, especially in the Willamette Valley, its often short lived. This is the time you will want to spend outdoors enjoying whatever hobbies you like: hunting, fishing boating hiking, etc.   There are plenty of things to do in this beautiful state we live in.  It’s always nice after a long day outdoors in the hot summer heat to come inside to a nice cool house.

Air conditioning is a luxury that can be affordable to install.  With advances in technology, these systems can be very efficient to operate if installed and maintained properly.  There are many options to keep your home cool for the summer and warm in the winter, from geothermal units to ductless mini-split air-conditioners and heat pumps.  Our technology is advancing at a fast pace and these units are getting highly efficient, and that matters when the price of power seems to go up every year. If you decide to have an air conditioner or heat pump installed, be sure to ask about efficiency and what kind of warranty you are getting. There are many options.

If you already have an air conditioner, regular maintenance is the key to keeping it running properly.  Three basic things you can do as a homeowner to keep your system functioning properly are:

1)      Air filters: Change these regularly.  A plugged air filter will cause a restriction of airflow and can be the cause of many problems in the whole system if not cleaned or replaced on a regular basis.

2)      Your outdoor unit (That sometimes noisy piece of equipment sitting on the back side of the house): The coils of that unit need to be cleaned for it to operate at peak efficiency.  They can simply be washed with water or sprayed with a pressure washer to remove the debris that accumulates inside it.  A light cleanser can be used to remove more dirt.  The important thing is to improve airflow around the coils to allow them to work properly.

3)      The indoor unit: It also needs to be cleaned.  Vacuum the dust out of the unit and away from the gas valve or heat coils.

Remember to shut the unit down before cleaning it!  Don’t forget to call SERVCO at (541) 451-5090 if you have any questions or problems with your heating and cooling systems.  We are here to serve you!

Poor Air Quality Being Investigated

Poor Air Quality Being Investigated

Poor air quality causes a variety of problems for the human body. According to the EPA, these conditions range from eye, nose and throat irritation to headaches, dry cough, dry skin, nausea, and fatigue. Statistics for the last ten years show more than 3,000 people per year die of asthma related deaths(more than 8 people per day). Long-term contact with bad air has been proven to cause long-term damage to the body. The CDC has identified thousands of sick buildings throughout the United States, ranging from apartments to warehouses. These are buildings where many people become ill and the only link to the illness is the building.

In the workplace, sometimes indoor air quality can be questionable, and OSHA is beginning to look into what can be done to improve air quality to prevent some of the injuries being reported due to asthma or other air quality related diseases. These diseases are being called injuries if they could have been prevented by an employer.  Occupational asthma is the most commonly reported on-the-job injury in developed countries. There are over 200 identified allergens found commonly in workplace air. Limiting the quantity of these allergens in the air is important to reducing the impact on employees who suffer from Asthma.

The State of Oregon implemented a study to see how much fresh air is being provided to buildings and how that air is being provided. Schools and government offices were the buildings they had the most access to so that is where they started. They put CO2 detectors in rooms to see what happened throughout the day. Many room raise above acceptable limits in the afternoon when they have been filled to capacity for 6 hours or more. This could be why some people in these situations get very groggy in the afternoon, not life threatening but impacting body functions.

As a result of the preliminary findings of the study, Oregon Building Codes have adopted changes to bring fresh air into buildings. The Energy Trust is offering rebates for some commercial buildings to make these improvements. SERVCO is working with Energy Trust to make sure all of our commercial customers know about the new fresh air requirements and results of the studies done recently. 

Indoor air quality isn't just a concern at the workplace. 

Please click on all of the above links to learn more about poor indoor air quality and how it could affect you and your loved ones. If you have any questions, please contact Servco by e-mail or call us at (541) 451-5090.

One of America’s most serious environmental health problems

THE PROBLEM: Indoor air pollution is now considered by the EPA and Congress to be one of America’s most serious environmental health problems.Tightly sealed buildings and homes may be more energy efficient but can trap pollutants and microbes indoors causing allergies odors, mold, and illness.

THE SOLUTION: The Guardian Air Plug In by RGF has proven to drastically reduce odors, smoke, mold, fungi, VOCs (chemical odors) and bacteria found in many rooms. Airborne bacteria and mold reduction is normally in the 90+ percentile.

PROTECT YOUR LOVED ONES! Find out more at www.lebanonservco.com or give Dan a call at (541) 451-5090

  GOT DIRTY DUCTS?

The awful things that can get trapped in your home with indoor air pollution also lurk in your duct system. Don't forget to have those ducts cleaned. Save money on your whole home duct cleaning with sanitizer. Go here first:   www.lebanonservco.com

or call Debbie at Servco (541) 451-5090 to schedule a duct cleaning

Now Open Saturdays & Celebrating 30 Years in Business

SERVCO IS OPEN SATURDAYS!

Servco is now open on Saturdays! We are open from 8am until Noon. Come on down to 1200 East Grant Street in Lebanon, or call us at 541-451-5090 to schedule your appointment.

We are offering all the same services we offer during the week; Water heater replacements, drain cleaning, furnace service, air conditioning service.  Come on in and buy filters or have that custom sheet metal work done. Schedule a plumber to come out and take a look at that pesky kitchen faucet or have the fixtures set for the remodel you are working on. Call to have our technician come out and clean out the dryer vent for you.  Our Saturdays are filling up fast so if you have a Saturday project, call Debbie and get it on the schedule! 

SERVCO TURNS 30!

Thirty years ago five employees from J.C. Lemmons Construction bought the residential and small commercial service and installation division. The Lemmons company was actively pursuing large industrial jobs all over the nation.  The new partners named their new company Lebanon Servco, Inc. They wanted to continue to provide service and installations for Linn and Benton counties.  Servco grew into a large industrial mechanical contractor working statewide in the 1990’s. We worked on many fun projects like the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Linn County Fairgrounds. Two of the original five employees, Dave Hickey and Ivan Stutzman, are still actively involved in Servco, and their advice and historical experience in construction has been vital to our successful survival through this recession.  

Servco has since returned to its roots, offering plumbing, heating and air conditioning service and installation to residential and small commercial businesses in the local area.  We are able to focus on specific areas of our business and keep our people trained on current technologies. This helps us keep our technicians knowledgeable about the operations of equipment of all ages. We offer products made in America whenever possible and encourage our suppliers to provide us with sources to locally made products.  Most of our employees have been with the company more than 7 years. Many have worked for the company more than 20 years. Servco provides a great working environment for our people and that helps us to retain great employees for a long time. Most of our employees own stock in our company, so we are invested in making sure you are taken care of courteously and professionally.  We are here to serve you!

Servco 30 Year Anniversary (Now Open Saturdays)

Need a Water Heater? Let’s examine some options.

Replacing a water heater is not as easy as it used to be.  The choices used to be electric or gas and how many gallons, but the choices are no longer that easy. Some options use less energy, or may qualify for tax credits or energy rebates, some provide limitless hot water, and some have special requirements. The water heater options explored below are standard upright, tankless, and heat pump.

The standard high-efficiency upright water heater is designed to hold water in a tank and heat it to a set temperature.  Energy saving technology has been incorporated into the unit to increase its operating efficiency, like a control board that can “learn” when there is no hot water demand (middle of the night) and it will let water cool during these times. Then, before times when hot water is normally used (morning showers), it will heat water up. These units are available in electric or gas and are about 7% more efficient than standard water heaters.

A tankless gas whole house water heater will only heat water on demand. This unit is about 30% more efficient than a standard gas water heater. However how much energy is saved depends on how the family uses water. Studies have shown when hot water is limitless there is a tendency to use more hot water, and no energy is really saved. If consumers regulate the use of water they can see a return on investment in 4-5 years. These units often last 10 years or more and require very little maintenance. Tankless can be a very good investment in the right situation.

Heat pump water heaters use electricity to heat water the same way a heat pump heats air in the home. It functions as a standard water heater, heating a tank of water to a set temperature. It also uses a control board for timing hot water demand like the high efficiency unit. The heat pump technology makes operating this unit about 55% more efficient than a standard water heater. It does have space requirements and venting requirements, but even with the added costs of installation, the return on investment is 2-3 years. This solution does not provide limitless hot water.

Now days, it can take some research to choose the best investment. Our professional plumbers can help! 

If you have any questions about water heater options please call us at SERVCO, 541-451-5090.  
We are now open on Saturdays! We are ready to serve you!

LOOKING TO SAVE ENERGY? - DUCTLESS HEAT PUMP!

Ductless heat pumps are among the most advanced heating and cooling systems available to residential consumers. They often provide years of trouble free service and require less maintenance than ducted heat pumps. SERVCO recommends Mitsubishi’s Mr. Slim, but we work with all brands.

Installation of a ductless heat pump is much less invasive than installation of a ducted heat pump system, especially if the home does not already have ducts. A hole less than six inches in diameter is all that is needed to connect the outdoor unit to the indoor unit. Ductless heat pumps are less likely to affect allergies because they are not blasting air through ducts and registers across layers of dust, pests and other things. Mitsubishi Mr. Slim ductless heat pumps are much quieter than window air conditioners and use the same amount of power as a 40-watt light bulb. They do not set in the window, so they do not block the light or provide access to potential burglars. Adjusting the temperature can be done at the unit, at a thermostat on the wall or by remote control, making it very convenient to adjust the temperature when desired.

Maintenance on a ductless system is very basic. Of course, always refer to your owner’s manual for specific recommendations. Most systems have filters that need to be changed “regularly.” How often filters get dirty is dependent on the environment. If there are gravel roads or large grass seed fields nearby, the filters may need to be cleaned monthly. Some systems may only need to be cleaned once or twice a year. When the system is installed it should be checked monthly until it can be determined how often the filters will need to be replaced or cleaned. Write a date on the filter when it is changed to help keep track of how long the filters last. Making a note on the maintenance page of the owner’s manual will help your service technician in the event of a problem.

The ductless heat pump is a great solution for homes that do not have ducts. They are a safe solution for homes that need air conditioning. And they are an efficient solution for the homeowner who wants to save money on home comfort.

Mitsubishi Ductless MiniSplit Heat Pumps