EXHIBIT 99.4

For further information contact:
                                          ServiceMaster
                                          Claire Buchan, VP Comm,  (630)271-2150
                                          Bruce  Duncan,  VP  IR,  (630)271-2187
                                          Steve Preston, CFO, (630)271-2637

                                          ARS
                                          Jennifer Tweeton, (713)599-9015


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 1999


                    SERVICEMASTER ANNOUNCES TENDER OFFER FOR
                          AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

         DOWNERS GROVE, Illinois -- ServiceMaster (NYSE:SVM) and American

Residential Services (NYSE:ARS) today announced that their Boards of Directors

have approved a definitive agreement under which ServiceMaster will acquire ARS.

Under the terms of the agreement, ServiceMaster will initiate a cash tender

offer for all of the outstanding shares of ARS common stock at a price of $5.75

per share.  The total acquisition cost is approximately $92 million in cash and

$180 million of assumed indebtedness.



     The acquisition of ARS will establish ServiceMaster as one of the country's

leading providers of heating, ventilation and air conditioning services, and

will complement the Company's Rescue Rooter plumbing business, which is already

among the nation's largest and fastest growing plumbing and drain cleaning

companies.

<PAGE>

         Houston-based ARS provides comprehensive maintenance, repair and

replacement services for HVAC, plumbing, electrical and other systems and major

appliances in homes and commercial buildings.  The company, which had 1998

annualized revenues of approximately $550 million, operates in 59 markets in 17

states and the District of Columbia.  ARS also will support the HVAC services

offered to the residential market by ServiceMaster through its American Home

Shield warranty program and its maintenance management service of commercial

HVAC equipment in hospitals and schools.



         "The acquisition of ARS continues our strategy of expanding our service

network by acquiring platform companies that are servicing both commercial and

residential customers and are operating in fragmented markets where there is an

opportunity to organize and provide an efficient service system.  This strategy

was initiated by ServiceMaster in 1986 with the acquisition of Terminix, and

over the years we have established a proven track record of bringing added

benefits to our customers as we have applied our operating skills and systems to

improve productivity and service delivery.  In the last 14 months, with the

acquisition of ARS, the 1998 acquisition of Rescue Rooter, and our entry into

the commercial landscape business with the acquisition of LandCare and other

regional landscape companies, we have added over $1 billion in revenue and

positioned ServiceMaster for an added dimension of growth in expanding new

markets," said ServiceMaster President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos H.

Cantu.

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<PAGE>

      Completion of the tender offer is subject to certain conditions, including

the tender of at least 52 percent of the outstanding ARS common shares and the

expiration of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.

The offer and withdrawal rights are scheduled to expire on April 26, 1999,

unless the offer is extended.



         "This acquisition significantly expands our service offerings on a

nationwide basis and provides added support for our rapidly growing American

Home Shield business," said ServiceMaster Consumer Services Group President

Ernie Mrozek.



         "ServiceMaster has an outstanding reputation for people development, a

proven ability to operate service companies successfully, and a strong financial

track record," said ARS President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Amonett.

"We believe this acquisition will provide opportunities for our people to grow

and develop, as well as the operational resources to grow the business."



      ServiceMaster serves more than 10.5 million customers in the United States

and in 41 countries around the world, with annual customer level revenue of $6.4

billion.  ServiceMaster is a network of quality service companies with two major

operating segments, ServiceMaster Consumer Services and ServiceMaster Management

Services.



     ServiceMaster Consumer Services now includes eight market-leading companies

- TruGreen-ChemLawn, Terminix, American Home Shield, Rescue Rooter,

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<PAGE>

ServiceMaster Residential and Commercial Services, Merry Maids, AmeriSpec and

Furniture Medic-- which operate through the ServiceMaster Quality Service

Network of approximately 5,800 U.S. Company-owned locations and franchised

businesses.


         ServiceMaster Management Services is the leading facilities management

company serving health care, education, and business and industrial facilities

with management of plant operations and maintenance, housekeeping, clinical

equipment maintenance, food service, laundry, grounds and energy.



        In accordance with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,

the Company notes that statements that look forward in time, which include

everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties

that may affect the Company's actual results of operations.  Factors which could

cause actual results to differ materially include the following (among others):

weather conditions adverse to certain of the Company's Consumer Services

businesses, the entry of additional competitors in any of the markets served by

the Company, labor shortages, consolidation of hospitals in the healthcare

market, the condition of the U.S. economy, the inability of key suppliers to

achieve timely Y2K compliance in their delivery systems or the inability of the

Company to make its own systems Y2K compliant, and other factors listed from

time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange

Commission.

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