Wicker Park · Historic district · Milwaukee, North, Damen · Division Street
Heating and cooling repair in Wicker Park, Chicago
Boilers and radiators, furnaces, central air and ductless systems, for Wicker Park two- and three-flats, Victorian houses, workers' cottages and the shops on Milwaukee and Division. 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 Wicker Park
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, a fifth of a mile east of Wicker Park's Ashland Avenue edge, just north of Division. 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 Wicker Park 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
Outstanding work! AC/Furnace needed replacement. Two other companies would not even quote the job due to the roof location of the compressor. C&S H&C came and provided a quote on very short notice. Most technically sound solution for our preference and price was competitive vs other quotes. Installation was scheduled right away after quote acceptance. Everything was installed within the day and so far working good.
Read moreRooftop AC & furnaceGreat service all around! Carissa was polite and promptly scheduled my appointment. Rob came over and answered all of my questions thoroughly. The pricing was reasonable, so we decided to replace the AC and Furnace at the same time. We are so happy that we chose to do both at once! We were surprised that it was such a quick process to update everything.
Read moreAC & furnace replacementGreat experience. I called them for my second opinion. Fast, friendly and efficient service. I was told my unit is near end of life but the prices I was quoted are great and they will definitely be hearing from me again when it's time. Use this company. Update: had my ac, furnace, and water heater replaced yesterday. Not sure I could be happier.
Read moreSecond opinionI called City & Suburban Heating to have my furnaces cleaned. They told me that Rob was going out of town for a week. I asked he could come before he left, and he came two days after my call. I had forgotten to buy a furnace filter for one of the furnaces, but luckily he had it in his truck. He is very reliable and does a great job.
Read moreFurnace cleaning
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 Victorian house, a two-flat and a loft
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
Landmark district
Much of Wicker Park is a Chicago Landmark District, so a new condenser or vent in view of the street can need Landmarks review.
- 02
Boiler or forced air
The big houses on Hoyne and Pierce, and many two-flats, still heat with a boiler and radiators, a different job from a furnace.
- 03
Condo conversions
Many Wicker Park two-flats are now condos, so one boiler can serve every unit and the owners agree the repair between them.
- 04
Cooling a radiator house
Victorian houses in the historic district were built for radiators, not ducts, so cooling usually means ductless mini-splits.
- 05
Lofts above the shops
Lofts over Milwaukee Avenue and Division run splits or rooftop units, so getting onto the roof sets 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 Wicker Park 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 Wicker Park 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.
Wicker Park, district by district · 4 districts
The 606 to Division, Western to Ashland
District edges are approximate, because sources draw them differently.
- Community area
- West Town (24)
- ZIP codes
- 60622, 60647
- City wards
- 1, 32, 26
- Our shop
- 1225 N Cleaver St, Chicago
- Permits
- City of Chicago Department of Buildings. HVAC repair, diagnosis and maintenance need no permit
01Historic district
Victorian mansions on Hoyne and Pierce, the old "Beer Baron Row", around the park itself.
What the HVAC work looks like
Boilers and radiators, zoned furnaces in big old houses.
02Milwaukee, North, Damen
The six-corner crossing under the Blue Line, with the Flat Iron building and lofts over the shops.
What the HVAC work looks like
Rooftop units, splits in lofts, make-up air for kitchens.
03Division Street
The old "Polish Broadway": restaurants and bars, with two-flats and newer condos behind.
What the HVAC work looks like
Kitchen make-up air, forced air in the newer condos.
04Along The 606
Two-flats and new townhomes on the blocks below the Bloomingdale Trail, the northern edge.
What the HVAC work looks like
Furnaces and central air in new builds, boilers in the two-flats.
Start here · 4 building types
What heats and cools your Wicker Park building
Find your building and see what heats and cools it.
- TWO-FLAT
Two- or three-flat
What heats and cools it
One boiler for the building, or a furnace per unit after a condo conversion. Condensers off the alley.
- VICTORIAN
Victorian house
What heats and cools it
Boilers and radiators, often with zones added over the decades. Central air needs a path for ducts.
- COTTAGE
Workers' cottage
What heats and cools it
A small furnace in a low basement and tight duct runs. Ductless is often the neater way to cool.
- COMMERCIAL
Shop or restaurant
What heats and cools it
Rooftop units and make-up air over the Milwaukee and Division kitchens, scheduled around service.
Nearby · 3 neighborhoods
Neighborhoods next to Wicker Park
We work across Chicago and the suburbs. Each neighborhood has its own page, written for its buildings.
Bucktown
Frame houses, two-flats and new construction north of the 606.
Ukrainian Village
Two-flats and greystones south of Division St, west of Damen Ave.
Humboldt Park
Greystones and two-flats west of Western Ave, toward the park.
The permit record, honestly · Wicker Park
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 Wicker Park, and where it comes from.
Data sourceCity of Chicago building permits (dataset ydr8-5enu), 13 Oct 2024 to 14 Oct 2026, inside the Wicker Park boundary on this page: 725 permits, of which 10 mention HVAC equipment. Shown as counts, never by address.
Wicker Park HVAC permits, 24 months
10Wicker Park 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 10.
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
Wicker Park HVAC, answered
Didn't find your question?
Call (773) 238-3838Since 1952Family owned, licensed, NATE-certified
01Does the old boiler in my Wicker Park house need replacing?
Often it doesn't. We diagnose first, and where the boiler has years left, we say so. Replacement is quoted only when repairs stop making sense.
02How far is your shop from Wicker Park?
Very close. The shop is at 1225 N Cleaver St, a fifth of a mile east of Ashland Avenue, just north of Division, and Rob runs the calls from there.
03Can you add air conditioning to a house heated by radiators?
Usually, yes. A radiator-heated house has no ducts for central air, so cooling usually means ductless mini-splits. In the landmark district, plan where the outdoor unit goes first.
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 the landmark district, mention where the outdoor unit sits.
- 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