Wilmette · East of Ridge · West Wilmette · Downtown Wilmette
Heating and cooling repair in Wilmette, IL
Furnaces and central air, boilers and radiators, and ductless systems, for Wilmette ranches and bi-levels, older houses east of Ridge, larger newer houses and the shops downtown. 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 Wilmette
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, 11.4 miles south of Wilmette's 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 Wilmette 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
Sorry version: Super helpful, straight forward and made sure we had heat ASAP. TLDR; VERSION: My heater went out at 5am. I called after 7am, technician showed at 8:30 to verify the issue and what part was needed. Then went to his scheduled 9am that was close by. He ordered the part, picked it up and had the heater fully repaired before 1.
Read moreSame-day heat repairOur A/C stopped working during the recent heat wave. Other companies didn't return our messages, but City & Suburban answered right away and were professional and communicative throughout. Rob was able to get to our place within a few hours, and he quickly diagnosed and fixed our A/C unit. He was practical and professional, and we would definitely call again.
Read moreHeat-wave AC 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 refrigerant serviceRob and the team at City Suburban are top notch. I’ve been using them for several years now for annual checkups of my system and have nothing but good things to say. He is respectful of my space, my questions, and has always been punctual. No upsells, just what I need for reliable AC and heat throughout the year. They’ve always been accommodating meeting my scheduling needs, as well.
Read moreAnnual check-ups
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, an older house and a shop
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
East or west of Ridge
East of Ridge, older houses often run boilers; west of Ridge, 1950s ranches and bi-levels run furnaces.
- 02
Cooling without ducts
Radiator-heated houses east of Ridge have no ducts for central air, so cooling usually means ductless mini-splits.
- 03
Two systems, two floors
Larger Wilmette houses can run a furnace and AC for each floor, so a repair starts with finding which one has failed.
- 04
Utility room or basement
Ranches and bi-levels often keep the furnace in a utility room; older houses keep theirs in the basement.
- 05
Shops downtown
Shops on Central Ave and at Plaza del Lago run rooftop units, so roof access and opening 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 Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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.
Wilmette, district by district · 4 districts
Kenilworth and Winnetka to Evanston, Glenview to Lake Michigan
District edges are approximate, because sources draw them differently.
- Township
- New Trier Township
- ZIP codes
- 60091
- Our shop
- 1225 N Cleaver St, Chicago
- Permits
- The Village of Wilmette, which sets its own rules. Chicago's permit file doesn't cover Wilmette
01East of Ridge
Prairie School and 1920s houses between Ridge Rd and the lake, near the Baha'i House of Worship.
What the HVAC work looks like
Boilers and radiators, ductless cooling, zoned systems.
02West Wilmette
Once the village of Gross Point: 1950s ranches and bi-levels west of Ridge Rd.
What the HVAC work looks like
Furnaces and central air, condensers beside the house.
03Downtown Wilmette
Shops on Central Ave and Wilmette Ave, the Metra station and the Linden Purple Line stop.
What the HVAC work looks like
Rooftop units for shops, furnaces in the houses nearby.
04Indian Hill Estates
A 1926 subdivision of European-style houses on winding roads.
What the HVAC work looks like
Boilers in older houses, furnaces after updates.
Start here · 4 building types
What heats and cools your Wilmette building
Find your building and see what heats and cools it.
- POST-WAR
Ranch or bi-level
What heats and cools it
A furnace with central air, often in a utility room. The condenser sits beside the house.
- OLDER HOUSE
Older house east of Ridge
What heats and cools it
Often a boiler and radiators, sometimes a furnace added later. Ductless is a common way to cool.
- LARGE HOME
Larger newer house
What heats and cools it
Two furnaces and AC systems, one per floor, with condensers beside the house.
- RETAIL
Shop or restaurant
What heats and cools it
Rooftop units for the shops downtown and at Plaza del Lago on Sheridan Rd.
Nearby · 5 neighborhoods
Neighborhoods next to Wilmette
We work across Chicago and the suburbs. Each neighborhood has its own page, written for its buildings.
Kenilworth
Older houses on large lots to the north.
Winnetka
Older and large newer houses to the north, past Kenilworth.
Evanston
Victorian houses, two-flats and courtyard buildings to the south.
Skokie
Post-war houses and brick bungalows to the south-west.
Glenview
Post-war houses and The Glen's newer homes to the west.
The permit record, honestly · Wilmette
Why there's no permit chart for Wilmette
Wilmette is outside Chicago, so the City's permit file stops at its border. Here is what we can honestly say about permits there.
Wilmette HVAC permits
The Village of Wilmette issues its own building permits and doesn't publish them as open data, so there's no count to chart for Wilmette.
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
Wilmette HVAC, answered
Didn't find your question?
Call (773) 238-3838Since 1952Family owned, licensed, NATE-certified
01Is the furnace in my Wilmette 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 Wilmette from Chicago?
Yes. Wilmette is on our service area list, about 11 miles north of the shop at 1225 N Cleaver St, and Rob runs the calls from there.
03Can you work on the boiler in an older house east of Ridge?
Yes. Boiler service is on our list: pressure, circulators, zone valves and venting, in older houses and vintage two-flats.
04Does HVAC work in Wilmette need a permit?
It depends on the job. The Village of Wilmette sets its own permit rules, mostly for installs and replacements. 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, boiler or condenser to hand, and tell us what it's doing. East of Ridge, tell us if the house heats with radiators.
- 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