About Us
Heating, plumbing, and electrical service from the local team Whatcom County has trusted since 1940.
Heating or Plumbing Emergency? We answer around the clock.
Emergency Heating & Plumbing Support
For Generations
& Insured
Available
Warranties
Emergency Heating & Plumbing Support
For Generations
& Insured
Available
Warranties
Serving Whatcom County Since 1940
LSM Heating, Plumbing, Electric started with two names you won’t find on a marquee anywhere, John Wynstra and Pete Douma. In 1940, the two men opened a small metal fabrication shop in Lynden to serve the farms and growing communities of Whatcom County. There was no five-year plan or brand strategy, just a simple idea. Do good work, treat people fairly, and the rest tends to follow.
That idea has carried the company through eight and a half decades, three name changes in the industry, and enough Pacific Northwest winters to know exactly how hard local weather leans on a home. What hasn’t changed is who we work for. Neighbors. Farmers. Young families buying their first house. Longtime customers who called us back in the 90s and still call us today.
From a Small Local Shop to a Full Service Team
In those early years, LSM built furnaces, repaired farm equipment, and fabricated custom metalwork for the region’s agricultural community. Innovation and practical craftsmanship were the standard, not the exception. If a farmer needed a part that didn’t exist yet, someone at LSM figured out how to make it.
As Whatcom County grew, so did the work. Heating and cooling became a bigger part of the business, and by the late 1970s, local family ownership had taken over leadership of the company, keeping decision-making close to home instead of handing it off to some distant office. In 1998, LSM moved into its current home on Evergreen Street in Lynden, a building that’s been the base of operations ever since.
The next big shift came in 2008, when LSM expanded into plumbing through the purchase of Alpha Plumbing. A few years later, in the 2010 to 2011 stretch, Cory and Bobbi Kreider stepped into ownership, carrying the business into its next generation while holding onto the same approach that got it here. Electrical services joined the lineup in 2020, rounding LSM into the full service company it is today.
A Legacy of Local Ownership
Most companies don’t make it past a decade or two. We’ve been here since 1940. LSM has stayed standing because ownership has remained rooted in the community it serves. Today, LSM Heating, Plumbing, Electric is locally owned by Ken Keck, Phil VanderVeen, and Bobbi Kreider, who continue the tradition of local leadership that has defined the company for generations.
Every leadership change in our history has kept the business local, kept it accountable to the same communities, and kept the people making decisions close enough to see the results of those decisions firsthand.
That matters more than it might sound like on paper. When a company answers to shareholders in another state, pricing and priorities tend to drift. When a company answers to its neighbors, it stays honest, because word travels fast in a place like Whatcom County. We’ve built our reputation one job at a time, and we plan to keep it that way.
Where We Serve Today
From our locations in Lynden, Bellingham, Marysville, and Ferndale, LSM now serves homeowners and businesses across Whatcom, Skagit, and Snohomish counties. Living this close to the water means humidity and moisture are part of daily life here, and that shapes the kind of work we do. Damp winters can wear down HVAC systems faster than people expect, corrode plumbing fixtures, and put extra strain on electrical panels exposed to condensation. Because our team has worked in this climate for generations, we know what to look for before small issues become expensive ones.
Our Core Values
Everything we do traces back to a short list of values that our team holds onto on every job, big or small.
Integrity
doing the right thing even when no one is watching
Excellence
raising the bar instead of settling for good enough
Innovation
adapting quickly and welcoming better ideas
Respect
treating people with dignity above transactions
Community
investing in the people and places we serve
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has LSM been in business?
LSM has served Whatcom County since 1940, starting as a metal fabrication shop before growing into a full service heating, plumbing, and electrical company.
Is LSM still family owned?
Yes. Ownership has stayed local through every generation, including the current leadership under Cory and Bobbi Kreider.
What areas does LSM serve?
We serve Whatcom, Skagit, and Snohomish counties from our locations in Lynden, Bellingham, Marysville, and Ferndale.
When did LSM add plumbing and electrical services?
Plumbing joined the business in 2008, and electrical services followed in 2020, rounding out our full service offering.
Does the Pacific Northwest climate affect home systems here?
Yes. Moisture and humidity common to this region can wear down HVAC equipment, corrode plumbing, and stress electrical systems faster than in drier climates, which is part of why local experience matters.