About WPGHCI
In the mid 1990’s a building contractor named Darwin Burtner was faced with a dilemma- he was building a home for a client on a piece of property that did not have access to natural gas, the future home owner’s did not want to use oil or propane and had had a bad experience with an air source heat pump. While pondering what to do with the situation an associate with a local electric supplier suggested the use of a geothermal system.
Mr. Burtner did a little research, proposed it to the homeowner’s and installed his first geothermal system. At this time, realizing the value of geothermal systems, Mr. Burtner left the building industry and started Burtner Geothermal Systems.
Burnter Geothermal systems began selling residential geothermal systems and installing the ‘loop field’ portions of the system. Also at this time, Burtner Geothermal systems, subcontracted with a well established local residential heating company for remaining portion of the systems.
Rick Callen had founded Callen Heating in 1977 and in the mid 1990’s began working in conjunction with Burtner Geothermal. Callen Heating would perform the load calculations, size the systems, and install all of the ‘indoor’ portions of the geothermal systems from the unit to the ductwork.
After working at this relationship for a short time, a third party that was involved in one of their larger projects suggested that they make things much easier and merge the companies. Thus in 1998, Callen Heating merged with Burtner Geothermal and formed Western Pennsylvania Geothermal Heating and Cooling, Inc.
Shortly, thereafter the realization that the ‘tighter’ the house once insulated, the less expensive the geothermal system installation was, really hit home. Much research was done comparing the advantages and disadvantages of fiberglass, spray foam and cellulose insulation. A decision was reached and at that time Mr. Burtner actually mortgaged his home in order to buy into the NuWool Cellulose insulation franchise. Since then Western Pennsylvania Geothermal has had a subsidiary company called Integrity Insulation that installs NuWool Cellulose Insulation.
In 2003, Western Pennsylvania Geothermal began installing commercial loop fields as well. Taking on all of the exterior work involved in installing loop fields for universities, jails, historical buildings, etc.
In summary, Western Pennsylvania Geothermal has experience with heating and cooling systems since 1977, has had nearly 15 years of experience with geothermal systems. Since the mid 1990’s has installed well over 500 residential geothermal systems. WPGHCI has taken on projects from small 2-ton apartment units to 10 units homes to 15 unit bank to loop fields at major universities, while still maintaining our ‘conventional’ service department. In the past years, nearly 95% of WPGHCI’s heating business has been geothermal.
With geothermal and insulation WPGHCI not only offers you the most efficient heating and cooling systems available, but the experience to go along with it. |
