Des Plaines · Downtown Des Plaines · Along the river · Cumberland
Heating and cooling repair in Des Plaines, IL
Furnaces, central air, heat pumps and rooftop units, for Des Plaines post-war ranches, split-levels, condos and the shops and offices downtown and on Golf Road. Family-owned since 1952, with the owner, Rob, still on the calls.
- Licensed, NATE-certified technicians
- Family owned since 1952
- Price agreed before any work starts
All services · 24 in 4 groups
Every heating and cooling service we offer in Des Plaines
24 services in four groups, from a furnace that won't light to a restaurant's make-up air unit.
Heating: furnaces, boilers and heat pumps
A furnace that won't light, a boiler losing pressure, a unit that short-cycles. Diagnosis comes first, and replacement only if the unit is genuinely done.
Furnace and heater repair
Ignition, flame sensors, inducer motors and limit switches, found and fixed on the first visit where the part is on the van.
Boiler service
Hot-water and steam boilers in vintage two-flats and converted lofts: pressure, circulators, zone valves, venting.
Furnace installation and replacement
Sized to the unit, not the brochure. In a high-rise, routed around building rules on venting and access.
Heater maintenance
An autumn tune-up before the first cold snap: burners, heat exchanger check, filters, safeties.
Heat pumps
Repair and installation, including cold-climate units for townhomes moving off gas.
Hybrid heating systems
A heat pump paired with a gas furnace, switching over on the coldest days.
HVAC maintenance plans
Scheduled heating and cooling visits for buildings that want them on the calendar.
- See all heating services
Cooling
Air quality
Partnered with the Best in the Business
About City & Suburban
Who you're actually calling?
One family. Second generation. Since 1952. City & Suburban is run from 1225 N Cleaver St, Chicago, 12 miles south-east of Des Plaines' nearest edge. Rob, the owner, still runs the calls and does the diagnosis on the jobs that need it.
1225 N Cleaver St, ChicagoOwner
RobOwner-operator. He runs the calls himself, so the person who quotes is the person accountable.
Family owned
195274 years, family owned, now in its second generation.
Permit record
0Permits on record. Chicago doesn't permit HVAC repair, which is most of what we do.
Working hours
24/7Working hours. Call any time.
Family-owned
Why family-owned matters on a Des Plaines job
- 01You talk to the person who owns the outcome, not a dispatcher reading from a price book.
- 02The office books you in, and reviewers name the people who did it.
- 03Nobody is on commission, so "your furnace is done" means it's done.
- 04Your request isn't sold on to three other contractors.
How we work
The owner on the call
Rob still runs the calls and does the diagnosis on the jobs that need it.
Repair first
If the unit has years left, we say so and repair it.
The price before the work
You hear the price before any work starts.
Google reviews · all 204 read
What customers say about value
We don't publish a price book, because the price depends on the fault. Here is what our 204 Google reviews say instead, counted by what reviewers chose to mention.
- 90name Rob, or say they dealt with the owner directly44%
- 59mention a fast response, a same-day visit or arriving on time29%
- 43call the price fair, reasonable or competitive21%
- 29mention honesty, trust or no pressure to upsell14%
Counted by keyword matching across all 204 Google reviews (export of 31 Aug 2026), so the numbers are approximate. 202 of the 204 are five stars.
Why Chicago homeowners keep calling the same family
Can’t recommend these guys enough. Rob came out the next day after me calling and quickly diagnosed the issue and was fully transparent on options and pricing. I decided on a full replacement due to age/status of the AC unit so Sam and Eddie came out two days later and took care of the entire project quickly. They were communicative and professional the entire time and provided me with all…
Read moreAC replacementI have been using City & Suburban (Rob) for 8yrs just for maintenance and he has been great every time. I trust no one else. When I found out my AC had finally had its run, I panicked a little as I thought CS only performed maintenance. However to my surprise they now do installations! I immediately got a reasonable and good quote from them and in a matter of…
Read moreLong-term maintenanceI had contacted City & Suburban by a recommendation from a co worker, since my regular HVAC service was not an available. I was extremely happy with the level of professionalism, quick response, cost, and my technician found a leak in my air conditioning condenser the other company had missed multiple times. They are now my “goto” HVAC and I will recommend them to anyone.
Read moreAC condenser leakCity & Suburban Heating & Cooling is excellent! From repairs to general maintenance, upkeep, assessments, and inspections, their team has consistently delivered top-notch service. Scheduling is always convenient, and their pricing is honest, fair, and transparent—no surprises or upsells. Rob, in particular, has been a lifesaver over the years. He’s kept my AC unit running smoothly for several seasons, extending its life far beyond what I expected.
Read moreRepairs & maintenance
We'd love to hear about your experience – write a review
- 5 Star Service
- Transparent Pricing
- Financing
- Certified Professional
- Top Quality Work
The process · 6 steps
What happens when you call
From the first call to a warm apartment, in six steps
01/ 06
01 You call, Rob listens
Tell us the make of the furnace or condenser and what it's doing. A good description often narrows it down on the phone.
02 Pick a time
We're available 24/7. If your building has rules on access, like elevator or work hours, tell us and we book around them.
03 On-site diagnosis
The technician finds the actual fault: ignition, pressure, refrigerant, airflow or controls.
04 Honest price, repair first
You hear the price before any work. If the unit has years left, we say so and repair it.
05 We fix it
Repairs done on the spot where the part is on the van. Installs are scheduled and quoted separately.
06 Good to go
The system is tested through a full cycle before we leave, and you know what to watch for.
Swipe or use the arrows to see all 6 steps
Scope & price · 6 factors
The same repair costs differently in a ranch, a split-level and a condo
We don't publish a price book, and we're not going to invent one here. What we can show you is what moves the number.
How we price
- The person who diagnoses is the person who quotes.
- You hear the price before any work starts.
- No flat-rate price book, no commissioned adviser.
- Where the unit has years left, the quote is for a repair.
"What does a new furnace cost?"
$6,807Chicago median
Median reported value of 81 central-furnace replacement permits in Chicago over 24 months. That's the whole project's construction value, not a quote. Yours depends on the factors below.
Factor · why it changes the work
- 01
Original or replaced system
Many Des Plaines ranches and split-levels date from the 1950s and 60s, so some run older furnaces and others newer ones.
- 02
Furnace on the lower level
In a split-level the furnace often sits on the lower level, and the upstairs rooms can run warmer in summer.
- 03
Condo associations
In condo buildings, the association's rules on roof access and outdoor units shape when the work is done.
- 04
Basements near the river
Near the Des Plaines River, basements have flooded before, so a furnace's controls and wiring can need a closer look.
- 05
Shops and offices
Shops downtown and offices on Golf Road run rooftop units, so roof access and business hours set the work.
- 06
Repair or replace
The biggest swing of all. Where the unit has years left, we say so.
How to choose · 5 checks
Five questions that sort Des Plaines HVAC companies
Ask them of anyone you call, including us.
5 kinds of HVAC company
Who you'll meet, and what limits each of them
Service businesses can't be compared on features. They differ in how they're run, and that decides who answers the phone and how the price is set.
- Where we fit
Family-owned, since 1952
- Who you talk to
- The owner, Rob, or someone who works directly with him
- How the price is set
- A price for the actual fault, agreed before any work starts
- Fits best when
- Condo, house, loft and restaurant work where you want one accountable person
- 02
National franchise
- Who you talk to
- A call centre, then the technician dispatched
- How the price is set
- Often a flat-rate price book, sometimes with membership plans
- Fits best when
- Standard repairs where speed of dispatch matters most
- 03
One-van independent
- Who you talk to
- The owner, who is also the only technician
- How the price is set
- Their own quote, often good value
- Fits best when
- Small jobs that can wait. One person means a January no-heat call can take days
- 04
Lead marketplace
- Who you talk to
- A website that passes your request to several contractors
- How the price is set
- Whatever each contractor who calls back quotes
- Fits best when
- You want several quotes fast and don't mind not choosing who calls
- 05
Large mechanical contractor
- Who you talk to
- A project manager or estimator
- How the price is set
- Bids against drawings and specifications
- Fits best when
- Tower central plants, base-building systems and new construction
Where we fit, honestly
City & Suburban is a family-owned Chicago company. In Des Plaines we're the right call for condo, house, loft and restaurant heating and cooling: repairs, boilers, furnaces, central air and make-up air. Tower central plants and new-build mechanical systems are for the big mechanical contractors, and we'll tell you so.
Des Plaines, district by district · 4 districts
Mount Prospect to O'Hare, Elk Grove Village to Park Ridge
District edges are approximate, because sources draw them differently.
- Township
- Maine Township · Elk Grove Township
- ZIP codes
- 60016, 60018
- Our shop
- 1225 N Cleaver St, Chicago
- Permits
- The City of Des Plaines, which sets its own rules. Chicago's permit file doesn't cover Des Plaines
01Downtown Des Plaines
Shops, the Des Plaines Theater and the Metra station, just west of the Des Plaines River.
What the HVAC work looks like
Rooftop units for shops, furnaces and heat pumps in condos.
02Along the river
Houses near the Des Plaines River and Lake Park, home to Lake Opeka.
What the HVAC work looks like
Basement furnaces, condensers beside the house.
03Cumberland
Houses around the Cumberland Metra stop on the east side.
What the HVAC work looks like
Furnaces and central air in post-war houses.
04Golf Road
Shops and offices along Golf Road, Route 58, on the north side.
What the HVAC work looks like
Rooftop units for stores and offices.
Start here · 4 building types
What heats and cools your Des Plaines building
Find your building and see what heats and cools it.
- RANCH
Post-war ranch
What heats and cools it
A furnace with central air, in the basement or a utility room. The condenser sits beside the house.
- SPLIT-LEVEL
Split-level
What heats and cools it
A furnace on the lower level with central air. Upper rooms can run warmer in summer.
- CONDO
Condo building
What heats and cools it
A furnace or heat pump per unit, with condensers on the roof or a balcony. The association sets the rules.
- COMMERCIAL
Shop or office
What heats and cools it
Rooftop units for the stores and offices downtown and along Golf Road.
Nearby · 3 neighborhoods
Neighborhoods next to Des Plaines
We work across Chicago and the suburbs. Each neighborhood has its own page, written for its buildings.
Mount Prospect
Post-war houses and split-levels to the north and west.
Park Ridge
Older brick houses and post-war ranches east of the Des Plaines River.
Rosemont
Hotels, offices and the convention center to the south, by O'Hare.
The permit record, honestly · Des Plaines
Why there's no permit chart for Des Plaines
Des Plaines is outside Chicago, so the City's permit file stops at its border. Here is what we can honestly say about permits there.
Des Plaines HVAC permits
The City of Des Plaines issues its own building permits and doesn't publish them as open data, so there's no count to chart for Des Plaines.
The honest context
0Permits on record for City & Suburban. We said we'd be honest.
1,539Firms that pull HVAC permits citywide, across 4,888 permits in 24 months.
Outside Chicago, each suburb sets its own permit rules, mostly for installs and replacements. Either way, a permit file measures construction, not service. So when a company waves a permit count at you, ask how much of their work is repair.
FAQs · 5 questions
Des Plaines HVAC, answered
Didn't find your question?
Call (773) 238-3838Since 1952Family owned, licensed, NATE-certified
01Is the furnace in my Des Plaines ranch worth repairing, or does it need replacing?
Often it's worth repairing. We diagnose first, and where the furnace has years left, we say so. Replacement is quoted only when the repair stops making sense.
02Do you come out to Des Plaines from Chicago?
Yes. Des Plaines is on our service area list, about 12 miles north-west of the shop at 1225 N Cleaver St, and Rob runs the calls from there.
03Do you work on split-levels and raised ranches?
Yes. Furnace and air conditioning repair and maintenance are on our list of services. Tell us which level isn't heating or cooling, and we start there.
04Does HVAC work in Des Plaines need a permit?
Replacing a furnace or AC does. The City of Des Plaines has an on-demand permit for a like-for-like swap where the outdoor unit stays put, with one final inspection. A repair or tune-up is a different job. Ask whoever quotes an install who pulls the permit.
05What are your hours?
Our working hours are 24/7. Call (773) 238-3838.
Your next step
No heat, no cooling, or just a question?
Have the make of your furnace or condenser to hand, and tell us what it's doing. In a split-level, tell us which level has the problem.
- 4.98204 Google reviews
- 1952Family owned, second generation
- 24/7Working hours
- RobThe owner, on the calls
Have these ready when you call
Call (773) 238-3838- 01The make of your furnace, boiler or condenser, from the label on the unit
- 02What it's doing: no heat, no cooling, a noise, a smell, short-cycling
- 03In a high-rise: your building's work hours and how to book the freight elevator
- 04For a condo: your association's contact if they need a certificate of insurance
- 05A photo of the unit's data plate and the thermostat screen
- 06For a restaurant: your service hours, so we can work around them