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Is It Time to Replace Your Old Furnace? 4 Signs

December 30, 2024
Is It Time to Replace Your Old Furnace? 4 Signs

As the weather turns chilly, you’ll be relying on your heater or furnace to keep your home toasty. Unfortunately, if you have a particularly old furnace, you might get left in the cold. How can you tell whether you need a furnace replacement or whether you’ll make it through one more winter with a little maintenance and furnace repair?

Look for these four signs that it’s time for a heater replacement.

1. Your House Is Always Too Cold

An old furnace or heater will have difficulty keeping up with the demands of your thermostat. If your house has always had an issue with warming up, your furnace might just be too small for the space. But if it’s only recently begun to fail at its job, that’s a sign that something’s amiss.

You may also notice that some rooms are warmer than others. Uneven heating is another sign that your furnace can’t push heat throughout the house. For a quick fix, you can try some troubleshooting. The first thing to check if this happens is the filter. You may find the problem goes away once you put in a new one.

If you’re still getting cold air, then the furnace may simply not be able to produce heat anymore.

2. Your Furnace Is 15 Years Old or Older

The surest sign you need a furnace or heater replacement is that your system is 15 to 20 years old. No matter how much maintenance you do, your system has a finite lifespan. This means that your furnace could be putting out lovely, toasty warm air one day and completely quit the next. When an aged system is the problem, the only solution is a new furnace or heater installation.

Why is an old furnace a problem? Eventually, you’ll be putting more money into repairs than the cost of a new system. At that point, it makes sense to just install a new furnace rather than dump cash into the old one.

3. Your Air Quality Is Poor

Even with fresh filters, old furnaces will produce more dust. While air purifiers can help, the best solution is to address the furnace itself. Still, no purifier can remove the most dangerous output of an old furnace: carbon monoxide.

Old systems are at risk of producing this odorless, colorless gas. And it’s not just a mere annoyance; carbon monoxide is deadly in high amounts.

4. Your Power Bills Are Higher

Efficiency decreases with age, and this will become especially noticeable with a failing furnace or heater. To produce the same amount of heat, the furnace will have to work much harder than it has before, and you’ll see this reflected in your utility bills.

Get Ahead of Winter — Trust Southern Air to Replace Your Furnace

If your furnace is giving up, Southern Air is here to the rescue! We’ll inspect your system to see if it just needs tuning up or if you need a wholesale replacement.

Trust our experienced techs to ensure you can maintain comfy temps all winter long. Contact Southern Air before your furnace leaves you in the cold!


Meet Dustin

Dustin Caison serves as both the President and CEO of Southern Air, a family-owned business founded in 1980 and based in Palatka, Florida. As the third generation to lead the company, Dustin has dedicated over 21 years to continuing the legacy of excellence established by his father and grandfather.

A State Certified Air Conditioning Contractor, Dustin brings extensive expertise and professionalism to the HVAC industry. Under his leadership, Southern Air has maintained its commitment to delivering quality service and fostering strong ties with the Palatka community. His dedication and credentials have been key to the company’s ongoing success.

An avid outdoorsman, Dustin enjoys hunting, fishing, and golfing with his family and friends. He is also deeply involved in his local community, serving at his church, Rodeheaver Boys Ranch, the Putnam County Fair Board, and A Women’s Resource Center.

Dustin places great importance on taking care of his people and building strong relationships with his employees. He believes that with a dedicated team, strong business practices, and a focus on continuous growth, any business can achieve remarkable success.

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Tanya A.
16 hours ago
Justin was respectful of my space and he took the time to ensure the job was done correctly.
Nancie Z.
17 hours ago
Southern Air has fantastic response time. Called after 5pm and they arrived within 30 minutes and had our unit up and running within the hour. Jason has been servicing our unit since it was installed. Always professional, courteous, and helpful. Great service, thank you!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your 5 Star review Nancie!
Kathy
3 days ago
Great job!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Kathy! We really appreciate you taking a moment to leave a quick 5-star review, and we’re glad you were happy with the job. If you ever need anything else with your HVAC system, we’re here to help.
Mark R.
5 days ago
Robert did an Awesome job on our AC unit. He was on time and very polite. He thanked us for choosing Southern Air for our AC maintenance. He made sure we knew that we could call anytime we needed them.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Mark for the five-star review! We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in the future.
Susan M.
5 days ago
Justin was on time at 1pm. He was very friendly and got right down to his business. Justin has been here before with these check ups on the A/C. He brought us spare filters as requested. Very nice young man👍
Response from the owner:Susan, thank you for the kind review. I’m glad Justin arrived on time, was friendly and professional, and took care of your A/C checkup smoothly, including bringing the spare filters you requested. We appreciate you choosing Southern Air for your maintenance visits.
Eric P.
6 days ago
Mr Vera was a courteous and very knowledgeable technician and did a great job with our maintenance upkeep. Thanks again Mr Vera and Southern Air.
Response from the owner:Eric, thank you for the kind review. I’m glad Mr. Vera was courteous and knowledgeable and that he took good care of your maintenance. We appreciate you choosing Southern Air.
Jim E.
6 days ago
Robert did a great job today! Southern Air always keeps our system it TipTop condition🥶🥶🥶
Response from the owner:Thanks, Jim—glad to hear Robert took great care of you today. We appreciate you choosing Southern Air, and we’ll keep working to keep your system running in top condition.
Meri
7 days ago
I have had great experiences with Southern Air. Each technician has been professional, respectful and knowledgeable.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Meri, for taking the time to share this. I’m glad our technicians have been professional, respectful, and knowledgeable during your visits, and I appreciate you choosing Southern Air.
Louise
1 week ago
Jamar checked the air handler as it was making a strange noise. He said it most likely was doing that because the air filter was very dirty. I changed the filter last night & we could not hear it anymore. While he was here, he checked the system out & all was running ok!
Response from the owner:Louise, thanks for taking the time to share this. I’m glad Jamar was able to pinpoint the likely cause and that changing the filter solved the noise right away. We appreciate you choosing Southern Air, and it’s great to hear everything else checked out and is running well.
John A.
1 week ago
Excellent service
Response from the owner:Thanks, John! We’re glad to have your support and appreciate the 5 stars.
Blessed J.
2 weeks ago
Randy was great today. Kind and patience.
Southern Air highly recommended.
Response from the owner:Blessed, thank you for the recommendation and for sharing your experience. I’m glad Randy took good care of you and was kind and patient during your visit.
Terri H.
2 weeks ago
Justin Coates did my maintenance this morning. He was very punctual and professional. He is an awesome service representative. Thank you.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled to hear Matthew and the team provided fantastic service with quick response times. We truly appreciate your continued trust and recommendation of Southern Air!
Richard B.
2 weeks ago
He was here for a couple of hours troubleshooting my AC as to why it wasn’t communicating with my Thermostat. He was on hold with the Lenex Technical Support and never got them to answer back. Another tech suggested a work around to test system and it worked. Got us a working unit until they could replace the wiring going to the electronics. Just a standard service call price.
Response from the owner:Richard we apologize for the inconvenience but appreciate your patience and understanding. We are diligently working with the manufacturer to get this resolved for you as soon as we can. Thank You!
Pam F.
2 weeks ago
Dylan provided excellent / thorough service. He spent quality time checking over unit & furnace. Very professional & polite. Southern Air has a bonus of employee with his personality!
Response from the owner:Thank you for another 5-star review, Pam! 🌟 We’re grateful for your continued trust and support—it means so much to our team!
Roger L.
2 weeks ago
Great communication, Jason worked fast but took no shortcuts. I was very happy with today’s service.
Response from the owner:Roger, thank you for the kind review. I’m glad Jason kept you informed throughout the visit and got everything taken care of quickly while still doing it the right way. We appreciate you choosing Southern Air.
Bonnie W.
2 weeks ago
Justin is a great technician!!
Response from the owner:Thank you, Bonnie, for the 5 stars! ⭐ We’re grateful for your support.
John U.
2 weeks ago
Southern Air exceeded all my expectations in all areas! Timely friendly professional service throughout their visit left me feeling confident my home will be properly cooled for the upcoming hot summer and warm for those rare winter days in North Florida! No need to ever look elsewhere for your HVAC service! If allowed I would have given a 10 star 🌟 rating!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for the 10-star praise! We’re so glad our team could deliver timely, professional service and keep your home comfortable year-round. We truly appreciate your trust in Southern Air!
Sandy J.
2 weeks ago
My first appointment. Jamar seemed thorough; took his time. He unclogged drain. Checked systems inside/outside. Even washed the unit! Explained what he was doing.
Gave recommendations as a/c isn't new!
Happy with my choice of Southern Air.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Sandy! We're very pleased to hear that Jamar took the time to thoroughly check your systems and even went the extra mile to wash the unit. It's wonderful to know you feel happy with choosing Southern Air.
terry C.
2 weeks ago
Knowledgeable & took time to make sure everything was working properly.
Response from the owner:Thank you Terry for choosing Southern Air!
James S.
2 weeks ago
Robert arrived in short order to an unexpected AC/Heat thermostat issue on a late Saturday afternoon. After initial trouble shooting, he was able to trace the cause to a unique mishap within the outside unit. Throughout the process he was professional, courteous and engaging in keeping us informed during the repair process. He proved to be a superb technician and a person of great character - 5 star.
Response from the owner:James, thank you for taking the time to share this. I’m glad Robert was able to get out quickly on a late Saturday, track down that unusual issue in the outdoor unit, and keep you informed while he worked. We appreciate your kind words about his professionalism and character.
Kelli G.
2 weeks ago
Robert was great and explained everything he was doing.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Kelli—I'm glad Robert took the time to walk you through everything and keep you informed along the way. We really appreciate you choosing Southern Air and sharing your experience.
Relic Rescue U.
3 weeks ago
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! In the 11th hour of boiling Florida summer temps Justin brought out a new mother board and motor for our warrantied air conditioner. While waiting for parts Southern Air also brought us a small, one room portable air cond. to get us by and at no cost. GET THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE CONTRACT!
Response from the owner:Wow — thank you so much for the glowing review! We’re thrilled Justin was able to get you up and running just in time. Our team is always happy to go the extra mile, and we’re so glad the portable unit helped while you waited. And yes — the annual maintenance contract really does pay off! We truly appreciate your trust in Southern Air!
Lorena H.
3 weeks ago
Southern Air has been great to work with; their techs are always on time, friendly, professional, and they explain things in an easy-to-understand way even if you don't know anything about how air conditioners work. Getting twice-yearly maintenance on my unit really gives me peace of mind that it's being kept up and if anything does go wrong I'll know about it before it gets too bad.
Response from the owner:We are so glad to hear it! Thank you for your review!
David C.
3 weeks ago
Justin the technician came through again dropped off our filters he is a great guy!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for the great feedback! We're so glad to hear your technician was awesome, thorough, and efficient. We truly appreciate your recommendation—it means a lot to us!
Jimmy Jam F.
3 weeks ago
He did a wonderful job, no issues
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your 5-star review, Jimmy! We're glad to know you had a positive experience with Southern Air. Your support means a lot to us!
Kristen P.
3 weeks ago
We’ve had a great experience with Southern Air in Palatka, especially as members of their Comfort Club. It’s been a really great value for us because a technician comes out twice a year to check everything over and make sure our system is working well and staying on track.

This most recent visit was with Dylan, and he was excellent—professional, thorough, and easy to talk to. He cleaned our vent and spent real time going through the system to make sure everything was running exactly as it should. You could tell he cared about doing the job right, not rushing through it.

Highly recommend Southern Air, and if you’re considering the Comfort Club, it’s absolutely worth it.
Response from the owner:Kristen, thank you for the kind review and for being part of our Comfort Club. I’m glad the twice-a-year checkups have been a good value for you, and that Dylan took the time to thoroughly go through your system, clean the vent, and make sure everything was running the way it should. We really appreciate the recommendation.
marianne G.
3 weeks ago
Very helpful and explained situation
Response from the owner:Thank you! We're glad we could help and appreciate your kind words.
James S.
3 weeks ago
Very knowledgeable and polite, did a great job
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words, James. I'm delighted to hear that you found our team knowledgeable and polite. We're grateful for your positive feedback and for choosing Southern Air!
Daniel B.
3 weeks ago
Great
Response from the owner:Hi Daniel, thanks for your review! We’re glad you had a good experience and would love to make your next one a 5-star.
HARRY S.
3 weeks ago
Tech did a great job explaining everything and found the problem
Response from the owner:Thank you so much, Harry! We’re really pleased to hear that our tech was able to clearly explain everything during the service call. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we’re glad to have made a positive impression.
david T.
4 weeks ago
Justin was very knowledgeable. He found my issue with my A/C unit quickly. Would highly recommend Southern Air to anyone in need of service.
Response from the owner:Thank you, David! I'm glad to hear that Justin's expertise helped resolve the issue with your A/C unit promptly. We really appreciate your recommendation and are always here to assist with any future needs.
Hannah A.
4 weeks ago
They do a great job all the way around from our installation a few years ago and the services checks! Everyone is so nice and helpful, communication is great and I recommend them to everyone for A/C needs!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much, Hannah! It's wonderful to hear your positive experiences with both our installation and ongoing service checks. We're glad to know our team’s communication and helpfulness stood out to you.
Excellent and friendly service.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Marshall, for your kind words! I'm delighted to hear that you found our service excellent and our team friendly. Your satisfaction is our priority!
Willie M.
4 weeks ago
Very good service one happy customer 👍
Response from the owner:Hi Willie, thank you for the kind words! It’s wonderful to hear you're a happy customer. We appreciate your feedback!
William B.
4 weeks ago
excellent
Response from the owner:Thank you for the 5 stars! We really appreciate your support and are grateful for the opportunity to serve you. 💙
Norman D.
4 weeks ago
Jamar is thorough and cares about getting the job done right.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the wonderful review, Norman. We’re glad to hear that Jamar’s dedication to thorough work and getting the job done right made a positive impact on your experience. Your satisfaction is important to us!

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