Generations of Service

The Petersen family has been rooted in the Eugene/Springfield, Oregon, area for nearly 140 years, and Petersen Plumbing is proud to be a fourth-generation business. Bernard Petersen is at the helm, working alongside his wife, brothers, sons, and other dedicated team members, totaling more than 25 employees.

“Our philosophy is to do what’s right – by our customers and our employees,” Vice President Sue Petersen says. “We have a long history with many customers, and we work to give our employees a good work/life balance.”

Some of the company’s staff came through the Oregon state-registered Apprenticeship Training Program Area III Plumbers, JATC through Lane Community College in Eugene, where Bernard has served on the board for decades.

Creative Thinking

The company specializes in plumbing repairs and remodels, as well as water heater diagnostics, repair, and replacement. This work includes installing energy-efficient heat pump water heaters.

Sue says their staff took heat pump water heater trainings through Comfort Ready Home to learn more about the technology.

“I think heat pump water heaters are the wave of the future,” she says. “The technology is improving, but these installations require some creative thinking. They are larger and draw heat from the air to heat the water, so you need to evaluate the space and figure out how to make it work properly to save customers money over time. And it’s important to educate people on how they function.”

Customer Education Is Key

Petersen Plumbing’s website gives customers detailed information on heat pump water heaters, including articles on the technology, savings compared to a conventional system, and important space and noise considerations.

The company also provides links to available rebates from the utilities in their service area: Emerald People’s Utility District, Eugene Water & Electric Board, Lane Electric, and Springfield Utility Board.

Finding rebates for customers is one way the company keeps its bids competitive.

“Utility offerings are part of our sales process,” Sue explains. “We refer customers to their utility because the rebate offerings can change, and some of our local utilities offer online promotions. If a customer buys their heat pump water heater through one of the utilities, we are happy to install it for them.”

Comfort Ready Home contractors get free access to homeowners in their area looking to make weatherization, HVAC and water heating upgrades — plus complimentary tools, training and support to perform energy-efficient installations with confidence. ComfortReadyHome.com/join