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

Tankless Water Heaters vs. Conventional

Did you know that 25% of each energy dollar that you spend goes to heat your home’s water?  And 20-40% of energy consumed by a traditional tank heater is wasted as heat is slowly lost due to radiant heat loss from the storage tank. You can reduce water heating costs by as much as 50% by having a tankless water heater installed in your home. They provide hot water when needed without a storage tank which reduces standby heat loss and in turn saves money. Since there is no hot water storage, thermal heat loss is almost completely eliminated. Tankless heaters are manufactured with an electric, natural gas, or propane heating device that is activated by the flow of water. Once activated, the water heater provides a constant supply of hot water.

Tankless heaters are perfect for new home construction, but they can also be used for remodeling, renovations, & additions. They provide distinct advantages over traditional types.  For example by adding a small unit in the new addition, you save plumbing costs by avoiding the need for new plumbing lines to be run from the existing whole house unit or the need for replacing the existing whole house unit in favor of a larger unit to accommodate the additional needs.

Other advantages are the ability to set the ongoing water temperature to a much more reasonable and safer temperature, closer to the actual temperature you will use the water at, thereby reducing risk of scalding. They also generally handle hard water minerals and sediments much better than conventional tanks. This makes them far less likely to leak or rupture, and able to maintain efficiency throughout their whole life cycle. Accordingly, many have much longer warranties.

Conventional water heaters typically last from 6 to 12 years in most residential applications. They are bulky, take up a huge amount of landfill space, and are costly to recycle. Tankless heaters are much smaller saving valuable floor space and can last more than 20 years.

Tankless is the environmentally responsible water heating solution.
(click above to see video)

Save $$$ - Maintain your Heat Pump

There are a number of things that homeowners can do to maintain their heating and cooling system that saves money in energy bills and to keep the system running longer. 

The most important task is to know where the air filters are located and Change Them! Too many times at Servco, we have been called to work on systems that failed to find the only problem is the filter is plugged solid. It does not matter if it is hot or cold, when the filter plugs the airflow there is a huge strain on all the working components. Often after this happens we will get calls for the blower motor failing or making “strange grinding noises.” Or the compressor will fail in the outdoor unit. These are often expensive fixes and can indicate the life expectancy of the unit is nearing the end. The heating and cooling system should have an owner’s manual. This manual should show where the filter is located and what size to use.  Filters are sometimes added to the ductwork. When a duct system is installed, be sure to ask where the filters have been installed and make note of it in the owner’s manual if they are in your ductwork.

Another way the homeowner can help maintain their own heating and cooling system is to vacuum around the indoor unit and make sure dust and hair particles do not build up in the equipment room. Electrical components are very sensitive to heat buildup. Keeping the hair and dust at a minimum helps keep the components safe. If you decide to clean inside the unit, be sure to turn it off at the breaker in the electrical panel for the system.

Finally, the homeowner can clean the outdoor unit. The owner’s manual will often recommend a schedule and method for cleaning the unit. The outdoor unit will get filled with leaves during the fall and winter and may provide a home for bugs. Often the recommended method to clean the unit is to spray it with a hose, removing all the leaf and stick or grass debris. There are different brands of cleaner that will help remove the guck of the inside of the coils. (Yes, guck is the technical term we use to describe the grayish brown sludge that builds up). Again, before sticking a hand inside the unit, make sure it is turned off at the breaker panel.

These basic maintenance steps can extend the life of your unit and keep it operating efficiently. It will also shorten the time spent by a repair technician if there is a problem. 

Servco would be happy to maintain your heat pump for you. 

Give us a call! 541-451-5090

You can also make an appointment online. Just Click HERE.