Lakeview · Southport Corridor · Wrigleyville · Northalsted
Heating and cooling repair in Lakeview, Chicago
Boilers and radiators, furnaces, central air and ductless systems, for Lakeview two- and three-flats, courtyard condos, lakefront high-rises and the restaurants on Clark and Halsted. 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 Lakeview
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, 1.9 miles south of Lakeview's edge at Diversey. 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 Lakeview 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
City & Suburban has serviced our HVAC system twice, over 5 years apart. Each experience was positive. They addressed our needs, answered our questions, and didn't try to upsell us. Both techs were very friendly and knowledgeable. Today, Eddie showed up when expected and fixed our AC within 45 minutes. If you call the office, you may not get an answer if they're busy.
Read moreAC repairSuper responsive, knowledgeable and friendly with very fair prices and quality work. Have used them the last 2 years to recharge my AC refrigerant and never got up sold. AC went out again this week, called for an appointment on Tuesday and was able to get one same day. Needed a new AC unit this time, and could have gotten it installed as early as the next day.
Read moreAC replacementWhen another company purported that I needed to replace my central air conditioning unit, I called Rob from City and Suburban for a second opinion. He quickly diagnosed the problem as a minor leak that could be repaired quickly, and he restored the unit to life at a fraction of the cost that I would have otherwise paid. The air conditioner continued to operate for years, by the way.
Read moreAC second opinionMy furnace went out, so I contacted City and Suburban Heating and Cooling to set up an appointment to get it checked out. Rob, the service tech, showed up on time to help me out. He told me he had to change out one part to get it up and running again, which he did in a very timely manner. And, without breaking the bank.
Read moreFurnace repair
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 two-flat, a courtyard condo and a tower
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
Boiler or forced air
Many two-flats and courtyard buildings still heat with a boiler and radiators. A boiler repair is a different job from a furnace one.
- 02
Condo associations
In courtyard buildings one central boiler heats every unit, so repairs go through the board or management.
- 03
High-rise access
Fan coils on a building loop, with management approval, a certificate of insurance and booked elevator time.
- 04
Cooling without ducts
Radiator-heated flats have no ducts for central air, so cooling usually means ductless mini-splits.
- 05
Bars and restaurants
Kitchen exhaust and make-up air on Clark, Halsted and Broadway, scheduled around opening hours.
- 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 Lakeview 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 Lakeview 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.
Lakeview, district by district · 4 districts
Irving Park to Diversey, Ravenswood to the lake
District edges are approximate, because sources draw them differently.
- Community area
- Lake View (6)
- ZIP codes
- 60657, 60613
- City wards
- 32, 44, 46, 47
- Our shop
- 1225 N Cleaver St, Chicago
- Permits
- City of Chicago Department of Buildings. HVAC repair, diagnosis and maintenance need no permit
01Southport Corridor
Two-flats, frame houses and new single-family homes along Southport Ave.
What the HVAC work looks like
Two-flat boilers, furnaces in newer homes.
02Wrigleyville
Two- and three-flats and courtyard buildings around Wrigley Field, at Clark and Addison.
What the HVAC work looks like
Boilers and radiators, ductless cooling.
03Northalsted
Vintage courtyard buildings, bars and restaurants along Halsted, Belmont to Grace.
What the HVAC work looks like
Central boilers, kitchen exhaust and make-up air.
04Lakeview East
Lakefront high-rises and vintage mid-rises east of Broadway.
What the HVAC work looks like
Fan coils, building-managed access.
Start here · 4 building types
What heats and cools your Lakeview building
Find your building and see what heats and cools it.
- TWO-FLAT
Two- or three-flat
What heats and cools it
A shared boiler and radiators, or a furnace per unit after conversion. Condensers off the alley.
- COURTYARD
Courtyard condo building
What heats and cools it
A central boiler with radiators in each unit. The association approves boiler work and any new cooling.
- LAKEFRONT
High-rise condo
What heats and cools it
In-unit fan coils on a building loop. Management approval and elevator booking first.
- COMMERCIAL
Bar or restaurant
What heats and cools it
Rooftop units, kitchen exhaust and make-up air. Scheduled around opening hours.
Nearby · 4 neighborhoods
Neighborhoods next to Lakeview
We work across Chicago and the suburbs. Each neighborhood has its own page, written for its buildings.
Uptown
High-rises and courtyard buildings north of Irving Park Rd and Montrose.
Lincoln Park
Greystones, courtyard buildings and lakefront towers south of Diversey.
North Center
Two-flats and frame houses west of Ravenswood Ave.
Lincoln Square
Two-flats and bungalows to the north-west, past Irving Park Rd.
The permit record, honestly · Lakeview
Why you won't find us in the City's permit file
Chicago doesn't require a permit to repair, diagnose or maintain heating and cooling, which is most of what we do. This is what the City's permit file does show for Lakeview, and where it comes from.
Data sourceCity of Chicago building permits (dataset ydr8-5enu), 14 Oct 2024 to 15 Oct 2026, inside the Lakeview boundary on this page: 2,281 permits, of which 46 mention HVAC equipment. Shown as counts, never by address.
Lakeview HVAC permits, 24 months
46Lakeview permits in 24 months that even mention HVAC equipment.
A permit can name more than one kind of equipment, so the rows can add up to more than 46.
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.
Chicago doesn't require a permit to repair, diagnose or maintain heating and cooling, which is most of what we do. The 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
Lakeview HVAC, answered
Didn't find your question?
Call (773) 238-3838Since 1952Family owned, licensed, NATE-certified
01Does the boiler in my two-flat need replacing, or can it be repaired?
Often it can be repaired. We diagnose first, and where the boiler has years left, we say so. Replacement is quoted only when the repair stops making sense.
02Do you work in Lakeview high-rises?
Yes. High-rises usually want a certificate of insurance, booked elevator time and set working hours, so we book around your building. In-unit fan coils on a building loop are common there.
03Who decides on the boiler in a courtyard condo building?
The association usually does. One central boiler heats every unit, so repairs go through the board or management. We diagnose first and explain the options.
04Does HVAC repair in Chicago need a permit?
No. Chicago doesn't require a permit to repair, diagnose or maintain heating and cooling. Permits cover installs and construction, so a company's permit count says little about its repair work.
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 boiler, furnace or condenser to hand, and tell us what it's doing. In a high-rise, mention your building's work hours and elevator booking.
- 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