MARCH 18, 2016
HOME & GARDEN SPRING EDITION
7
Air Masters: 30 years in business in Kitsap County By LESLIE KELLY
lkelly@soundpublishing.com
A
fter 30 years of helping the local community with everything heating and air conditioning, Steve and Susan Krecker are passing the torch to Mark and Rosemarie Timmerman. Just as Air Masters Inc. of Port Orchard celebrates its 30 anniversary, the Kreckers are retiring. “It’s time,” Steve Krecker said. “I’m passing the torch and I know the company is in good hands.” Krecker said his official retirement date is set for April 14. He opened the business in March 1986. “That first day was something,” he said. “We wound up with a lot of refrigeration customers.” Krecker said South Kitsap Mall, at the time owned by Ric Gehring, was the company’s first real commercial customer. “We kept that account for more than 20 years until the mall changed hands,” he said. What he remembers most about all his years in business are the customers. “A lot of these relationships have gone on for years and years,” he said. “The people who came to us in the early years, now their children are adults and we are serving them. So long as we do the right thing, we’ll keep them happy.” Mark Timmerman added, “Our repeat customers are the backbone of the business.” The company services all the heating and air conditioning equipment it installs. They also service all makes and models of heating and cooling equipment. Timmerman joined Air Masters in 2010, after owning his own company for 10 years. He got in to the trade in 1992 and worked for a company in Seattle. His wife, Rosemarie, is the bookkeeper and does payroll for Air Masters, which currently employs 15. It’s this time of year when the company’s leaders want to remind homeowners and business owners that summer is right around the corner. “The last couple of summers have been warm and we’re expecting the same this summer,” Timmerman said. “People are already contacting us now in preparation for the warm summer. “We did a lot of air conditioning calls last year because people got too uncomfortable.” The most popular way to have air conditioning added to a residential home is to install a heat pump, Timmerman said. “A heat pump can give a home the most efficient heating and cooling system around,” he said. “The first step is to call us and we’ll
After 30 years in business, Steve Krecker, left, is passing the torch to Steve Timmerman, who has been a co-owner of Air Masters since 2010. Leslie Kelly photo send someone out to do an estimate at no charge.” The important part is to get the proper size of heat pump. “A heat pump is just a device that moves the heat from one place to another, from outside to inside, or inside to outside,” Timmerman said. “It cools in the summer and warms in the winter.” There’s a big range of variables when choosing an air source heat pump, he said. “We work to get the most efficient heat pump for your budget as possible. But the difficulty of the installation can affect the costs.” And, technology has caught up with heat pumps. Now, a homeowner can control the heat or air conditioning in their home from their smart phone, work computer or laptop. Ductless heat pumps are an option for homes that currently have ductwork. A heat pump pays for itself, the company owners said. There are rebates from utility companies and rebates or specials from the manufacturers, depending on when systems are purchased. There is also financing, at no interest or low interest, available for installation upgrades. The company is already booking air conditioning installations, as homeowners anticipate a warm summer. “When it got hot last summer, people were calling us and we were having to tell them that there was at least a two-week wait to get to them on the schedule,” Timmerman said. “So anyone who wants to avoid that, should be calling now.”
As for Krecker, he’s anticipating a relaxing summer once he retires. An avid car restorer, he has several projects that he’ll be
working on. “I’m sure I’ll keep busy,” he said. He added that he plans to stay in Port Orchard. Air Masters received the 2015 South Kitsap Business Excellence Trade Services Award from the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce; the 2015 Angie’s List Super Service Award; and the 2016 Best of the West Sound Award from West Sound Magazine. Air Masters also gives back to the community. “It only makes sense to express our gratitude in ways that are helpful to the most important members of our community — the children,” Timmerman said. “Without a properly supported, educated, and loved generation of young people to come, our own livelihood and the comforts of our community that we so enjoy are at stake.” The company supports the SK Back to School Celebration, Shepherds and Angels holiday event, Fathoms O’ Fun scholarship program, South Kitsap Relay for Life, SK Helpline’s Trunk or Treat Halloween event, North Kitsap Fishline, the Elton Goodwin Foundation, South Kitsap Rotary, Kitsap Builders Association, and others.
3520 Kitsap Way, Bremerton 360.377.5582 • www.arnoldshomefurnishings.com