Air By Design Heating and Cooling Blog

Fall Furnace Tune-Up Checklist for Philadelphia Homes

By Air By Design Heating and Cooling · October 4, 2026

Before the first cold snap, a little preparation can prevent a no-heat call.

Philadelphia winters are hard on heating equipment, and the first cold night of the season is when many furnaces and boilers fail. A fall tune-up gives a technician the chance to find small problems before they become emergencies. Here is what a thorough tune-up should cover:

• Replace or clean the air filter. A clogged filter restricts airflow, makes the system work harder and can cause a furnace to overheat and shut down.
• Inspect the burners and flame. A steady blue flame indicates clean combustion. Yellow or flickering flames can signal a problem that needs attention.
• Test safety controls. Limit switches, flame sensors and pressure switches protect your home and should be checked every year.
• Check the venting and heat exchanger. Cracks or blockages can allow carbon monoxide into living spaces. Make sure you also have working CO detectors on every level.
• Calibrate the thermostat. An inaccurate thermostat wastes energy and leaves rooms uncomfortable.
• For boilers: check pressure, bleed air from radiators and inspect circulator pumps and relief valves.

A maintenance contract with Air By Design Heating and Cooling makes this easy — we schedule your tune-up so you never have to remember.

7 Signs Your Water Heater Needs to Be Replaced

By Air By Design Heating and Cooling · October 4, 2026

Know when a repair will do and when it is time for a new tank.

Most tank water heaters last roughly 8 to 12 years. As they age, small issues can turn into a flooded basement. Watch for these warning signs:

1. Age. If your tank is more than ten years old, start planning for replacement before it fails.
2. Rusty or discolored hot water. This can mean the inside of the tank is corroding.
3. Rumbling or popping noises. Sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank makes it work harder and wears it out faster.
4. Water around the base. Leaks from the tank itself usually cannot be repaired.
5. Running out of hot water quickly. Sediment or a failing heating element or burner reduces capacity.
6. Rising energy bills. An inefficient water heater costs more to run every month.
7. Frequent repairs. When repair costs add up, a new unit is often the better value.

Air By Design Heating and Cooling installs Bradford White water heaters, including a 40-gallon model with a 10-year parts and tank warranty and a 2-year labor warranty. Call for current pricing and a free estimate.

Boiler vs. Furnace: Which Is Right for Your Philadelphia Home?

By Air By Design Heating and Cooling · October 4, 2026

Rowhomes, twins and singles all have different heating needs.

Many older Philadelphia rowhomes heat with hot-water or steam boilers and radiators, while newer homes and renovations often use a forced-air furnace with ductwork. When it is time to replace your system, here is how the two compare:

Boilers

• Deliver quiet, even radiant heat with no blowing air or dust.
• Work with your existing radiators or baseboard heat — no ductwork required.
• Do not provide air conditioning, so cooling is usually handled by ductless mini-splits or window units.

Furnaces

• Heat the home quickly and share ductwork with central air conditioning.
• Allow whole-home air filtration and humidity control.
• Require properly sized ductwork, which can be challenging in older homes.

In most cases, the best choice is to replace like with like unless you are renovating. Air By Design Heating and Cooling installs and services both boilers and furnaces from brands such as Utica, Pennco, Goodman, Bryant and Payne, and we will help you compare options during a free in-home estimate.

How to Lower Your Summer Cooling Bills

By Air By Design Heating and Cooling · October 4, 2026

Simple habits and smart maintenance keep your AC efficient during Philadelphia heat waves.

Philadelphia summers are hot and humid, and air conditioning can be one of the biggest items on your energy bill. These steps help your system cool more efficiently:

• Change your filter every one to three months during cooling season.
• Keep the outdoor unit clear. Trim plants and remove leaves and debris so the condenser can release heat.
• Use a programmable or smart thermostat to raise the temperature when no one is home.
• Close blinds on sunny windows during the hottest part of the day.
• Seal leaky ducts. Leaks in attics and crawl spaces can waste a significant share of cooled air.
• Schedule a spring AC check-up. A technician cleans coils, checks refrigerant charge and tests electrical parts before peak season.

If your system is more than 12 to 15 years old, a new high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump may pay for itself over time through lower bills. Air By Design Heating and Cooling can show you the options.

Are Ductless Mini-Splits a Good Fit for Your Home?

By Air By Design Heating and Cooling · October 4, 2026

A flexible way to add efficient heating and cooling without ductwork.

Ductless mini-split systems connect a compact outdoor unit to one or more wall-mounted indoor units using a small line set. They are a popular solution in Philadelphia homes that heat with boilers and have no ductwork for central air.

Benefits of ductless mini-splits

• No ductwork needed — installation typically requires only a small opening in the wall.
• Room-by-room control, so you only heat or cool the spaces you are using.
• High efficiency with inverter-driven compressors, and many models provide heating as well as cooling.
• Quiet operation compared with window air conditioners.

Good places for a mini-split

Finished basements, attic bedrooms, additions, sunrooms and older homes with radiators are all great candidates. Air By Design Heating and Cooling will assess your layout and recommend the right size and number of indoor units during a free estimate.