Our History

(written by Rosalie R. Poust)

The founder, Carl Dale Poust, and his wife Reta, had just built their brand new home and they were looking for a way to heat their home using wood or coal. After some research and telephone calls (as internet wasn’t available back then!), Dad (Carl) came across information on Heatmor outdoor furnaces and after some conversations with the closest dealer, Dad and Mom (Reta) traveled several miles from their home to look at the Heatmor furnace on a dealers lot.  Dad was so impressed with this furnace they bought it on the spot!  Upon the delivery and installation of this new Heatmor furnace, it has been heating the Poust home for over 30 years! 

As my dad was newly retired and not one to just sit around, he decided to become a Dealer with Heatmor as Poust Garage & Outdoor Furnace.  Dad not only sold new furnaces, but he also did complete installations covering several counties in PA and sold MANY of these Heatmor furnaces, as well as traveling to fairs and shows in each of the counties he served as a Heatmor dealer  and displaying the outdoor boiler ad meeting and greeting customers.   One of the many shows Dad displayed at was the PA Farm Show.  Singlehandedly, Carl also took all phone calls, ordering parts and inventory, making new furnace deliveries, etc. 

Dad started his new venture as Heatmor dealer with just his pick up truck to deliver new furnaces with.  As his business grew, he and a relative constructed a trailer for him to haul and deliver new furnaces with and that is still functioning today!   Dad also purchased an old boom truck and totally restored it (as Dad was an amazing auto mechanic)  into what looked  like a new truck!  This boom truck is used to lift new furnaces (that arrive to the display lot from the factory in MN where they are manufactured) on an 18-wheeler onto the lot ground here in PA.  We still use this truck today!  In the beginning of Dad’s dealership, he used tents to display at fairs and shows.  As he battled some severe weather and his tent became damaged a few times,, etc., he purchased an enclosed “show” trailer and had it customed to meet the needs of displaying at fairs and shows.  This new trailer kept not only all paperwork and spare arts clean and dry and out of the weather, but it gave Dad a nice place out of the sun/rain and weather.   Dad had the trailer printed with Poust’s Outdoor Furnaces logo on the sides as advertisement.   The show trailer is still a very useful tool for us!    You can find us easily at local fairs and shows with this enclosed trailer. 

Poust Garage and Outdoor Furnace grew substantially and soon Dad was unable to keep up with all installs.  That’s when Bob Wheeland became involved with the business and did installs for new Heatmors as a separate entity. 

Over the next 25 years, the business continued to grow while Dad’s health declined.  But he would not give up this business that he loved.  Dad had made MANY good friends and customers over the years and had serviced them very well.  As children and grandchildren of my parents had helped with the business, we became involved in learning about Heatmor.  As his daughter, I had helped Dad by going to fairs and shows for him and talking to customers and prospective new purchasers and assisted with getting people the maintenance and parts they required for the past several years.   The grandsons also assisted with receipt of new furnaces to the lot from Heatmor manufacturer in MN and learning to operate Dad’s boom truck and delivery trailer, loading up the furnaces on delivery trailer, helped with new furnace deliveries and maintenance, fair and show set up and tear downs, etc. 

Although Dad did not want to give up his business, his health would not allow him to continue.  On 2022, Second and third generations, daughter Rosalie R. Poust and Grand-Sons Wesley Carl Worthington and Charles Roy Worthington, took over and began as our  own dealership as Poust Outdoor Furnace, LLC, with Dad helping to teach and show us the ins and outs of the business.  Unfortunately, Carl Dale Poust (Dad) passed in June of 2022 and we miss him terribly!    

Our vision is to keep Dad’s legacy alive and to continue to serv the needs of our past and future customers with the Heatmor outdoor furnace.  We pledge to continue to offer our customers courteous and knowledgeable service to the best of our ability. 

Poust Outdoor Furnace continues to grow and service our nine counties including Lycoming, Sullivan, Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Clinton, Northumberland and Tioga counties.  And, the fourth generation, great-grandchildren are beginning to learn the business as we continue in my Dad’s legacy.