The idea that Putnam County is too warm for a furnace, and the Gas Authority rebate that argues back

The myth, and the part of it that is true

The belief goes like this: Putnam County sees a dozen light freezes a winter and a record low that happened decades ago, so a furnace is money spent on a problem the county does not have. For most houses out in the county, on Clay Electric lines with no gas service, that is simply correct. A heat pump heats those mornings well enough and cools the other eight months, and Cook’s will say so at the estimate.

But in the city and the neighborhoods around it, Palatka Gas Authority runs natural gas, and that changes the arithmetic. Natural gas heat is cheaper per cold morning than electric strips, a gas furnace delivers warm air rather than the lukewarm air a heat pump produces below 40 degrees, and the Gas Authority publishes an appliance rebate for homes installing a qualifying residential gas furnace. For a house in Palatka Heights or The Hammock that already runs a gas range and water heater, a furnace paired with a straight-cool air conditioner is often the better system, not the sentimental one.

The other true part: a furnace that goes in for the wrong reasons, oversized and never maintained, is a worse choice than the heat pump it replaced. Which is why the install matters more than the equipment.

A house is not a storefront

Cook’s installs furnaces in both, and they are different projects.

	A Palatka home	A business on St. Johns Avenue or SR 19
Equipment	Upflow or horizontal gas furnace with a coil, in a closet, garage or attic	Rooftop package unit with gas heat, or a split furnace in a mechanical room
Gas supply	Gas Authority service already at the house, or a new tap	Often a larger meter and a sized gas line to the roof
Venting	PVC or metal flue through roof or sidewall	Roof penetrations, curbs and code clearances from fresh-air intakes
Scheduling	A weekday, around the family	Early morning, after close, or overnight so the business never shuts
Decision maker	The homeowner at the kitchen table	Owner, manager, sometimes a landlord and a lease
Paperwork	Permit and warranty registration	Permit, equipment schedule for the lease file, sometimes a landlord sign-off

Ask whether Cook’s runs new gas piping from the meter or coordinates that with the Gas Authority and a plumber. [[CONFIRM WITH JERRY]]

Call 866-266-5709

How the installation runs

1. The estimate. We size the furnace by load calculation on the house, not by the old nameplate, and we ask the question first: is gas the right heat for this address? Estimates are free.
2. Options in writing. Usually a single-stage furnace, a two-stage, and a variable-capacity model, with the coil and thermostat included where they are needed, each priced separately.
3. The permit. Pulled with Putnam County or the City of Palatka before work starts. The fee is a line on the estimate; ask for the current amount. [[CONFIRM WITH JERRY]]
4. Removal. The old furnace is disconnected at the gas shutoff, the flue is opened, and the unit comes out. In the historic districts this is where we find a floor furnace pit or an abandoned chimney that has to be dealt with.
5. Setting the new unit. Furnace leveled and secured, coil set on top if included, gas connection made with a new shutoff and drip leg, venting run to code, condensate drain on condensing models routed with a trap and, on well-water homes, treatment in mind.
6. Electrical and controls. Power, the thermostat, and the connection to the air conditioner’s outdoor unit if the system is paired.
7. Startup. Gas pressure set, combustion analyzed at the flue, carbon monoxide checked at the registers, temperature rise measured against the nameplate, blower speed set, thermostat programmed.
8. Walkthrough and inspection. How to shut off the gas, where the filter lives, what the CO detector should do, and the inspection scheduled.

How long, honestly

A like-for-like furnace replacement in an accessible closet or garage is a single day. Adding a coil or a new thermostat does not change that. A job that moves the furnace to an attic, replaces a long flue run, or adds a return in a historic home takes two days. Commercial rooftop replacements are planned around a crane and usually finish in one early-morning window. Lead time from signed estimate to install day depends on equipment availability; common Lennox furnace sizes are usually on hand, and we give you the date before you commit.

What the invoice lists

• Furnace by model and serial number, and the coil if included
• Gas connection, shutoff and drip leg
• Venting and flue materials
• Condensate drain and trap
• Thermostat
• Electrical and control wiring
• Duct correction, each item as its own line
• Permit
• Removal and disposal of the old unit
• Startup, combustion testing and warranty registration

Two lines you will not see. A federal tax credit: the 25C credit ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. And a utility rebate from the electric company for a gas furnace; FPL and Clay Electric rebates concern heat pumps and air conditioners. What may apply instead is the Palatka Gas Authority appliance rebate for a qualifying gas furnace; ask whether Cook’s files it for you. [[CONFIRM WITH JERRY]]

A furnace in Palatka is a deliberate choice for a specific kind of house. When it is the right one, Cook’s installs it properly, registers the Lennox warranty, and guarantees your satisfaction. When it is the wrong one, we will say so and quote the heat pump. Call 866-266-5709 for a free estimate either way.