To put into perspective just how long A. J. Buerkle’s family has been in the plumbing business, consider this.When the first Buerkle set up shop in the Pittsburgh area, the most notable candidate for U. S. President was an upstart Senator from Illinois whose primary political experience consisted of a few years in the state legislature. His name – Abraham Lincoln. The year – 1860.

Today, A. J. Buerkle continues the family tradition and has been involved in plumbing since childhood. In fact, his Upper St. Clair - based business – A. J. Buerkle Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Company – is still run by a descendent of his greatgrandfather, August (who also invented an instantaneous water heater called the Monarch).

Photo: Team Buerkle. Pete Reichel, Linda Irwin, A.J. Buerkle, and Bonnie Lorenzi

While plumbing is an ultra-competitive field (just look at all the ads in the Yellow Pages), A.J. has prospered by focusing squarely on customer service.This strategy has resulted in an extremely loyal customer base. A. J. has followed his father’s philosophy, which is to establish good relationships with his customers and promote repeat business. Quality work at a fair price also helps retain loyal customers Another point of pride for A. J. Buerkle, and one that’s kept customers coming back, is that no job is too small. From replacing a hose faucet to re-piping an entire basement, A. J. Buerkle is up to the task. Another point is that the majority of his employees have been with the company for more than 20 years, and customers feel comfortable hearing familiar voices on the phone.

But while the company’s reputation in the plumbing field is wellknown, some customers are surprised to learn that A. J. Buerkle offers a more extensive range of services, including bathroom remodeling, installing heating and air conditioning equipment (including humidifiers and air cleaners), and replacing kitchen and bathroom fixtures, water heaters and food waste disposers. Sewer cleaning, gas and water service line replacement, municipality dye tests and backflow tests are also available.

A. J. firmly believes that the best advertising is the kind that no one can buy – word-of -mouth. “We will be there after the sale!” • The A. J. Buerkle Plumbing, Heating and A/C Company is located at 41 McMurray Road in Upper St. Clair Township. For more information, call 412-835-5888 or visit www.ajbuerkle.com

FEATURES

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