HVAC Repair Chicago: $150 to $750 + Furnace Grants (2026)

Chicago rows come from ConsumerAffairs' May 2026 Chicago HVAC guide; national and rebate rows are labeled.

Do this now: no heat or no cooling in Chicago

1. Gas smell or a CO alarm: get everyone out, then call 911 or Peoples Gas at 866-556-6002 from outside. CPSC says not to search for the source.
2. Check the thermostat, the breaker, the furnace switch and the filter.
3. No heat in a freeze: open sink cabinets and drip cold water on outside walls, the Red Cross says, and never heat with the oven, the CDC says. See frozen pipes.
4. Gas or electric shut off for nonpayment? CEDA's reconnection help pays up to $2,000 for eligible households (800-571-2332).
5. No cooling in a heat wave: move vulnerable people somewhere cool and call 311 for cooling centers.

Is it an emergency? Chicago's freezes and heat by the numbers

A heating failure is an emergency in Chicago for months of the year. O'Hare averages 121.3 days with a low at or below 32 F and 6.5 days at or below 0 F, NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals show, and it also averages 16.7 days at or above 90 F. Call right away for no heat in a freeze, a gas smell, a CO alarm, or no cooling for an older or sick person in a heat wave. A system that still runs with a new noise can wait for a weekday visit. If an alarm is sounding, read carbon monoxide alarm going off first.

Furnace repair in Chicago: costs and city repair grants

Furnace repair in Chicago usually falls inside the $150 to $750 ConsumerAffairs range for Chicago HVAC repairs, and ConsumerAffairs prices an ignitor or flame sensor there at $110 to $335; HomeAdvisor's 2026 national furnace average is $318. Two programs can pay for the repair. The City's Emergency Heating Repair Program gives grants to repair or replace a furnace or boiler once every 10 years for owner-occupied 1 to 4 unit homes at or below 80% of area median income; the last posted window ran November 1, 2024 to April 1, 2025, and you apply through 311. CEDA's LIHEAP Furnace Assistance repairs or replaces an inoperable or red-tagged furnace for LIHEAP-approved owners and resumes October 1, 2026 (800-571-2332). If the furnace needs replacing, Peoples Gas pays $200 for a 95% AFUE furnace and $225 for 97%. National steps: furnace repair and furnace replacement cost.

Boiler repair in Chicago

Many Chicago two-flats and older houses heat with steam or hot water boilers, and the city's housing is old: the Census Bureau puts the median year built at 1953. Boiler prices, Peoples Gas boiler rebates of $150 to $500 and the city grant rules are on boiler repair in Chicago.

AC and heat pump installation in Chicago: cost and permit

Heat pump installation costs $4,236 to $7,942 in HomeAdvisor's 2026 national data, and ConsumerAffairs puts a full Chicago HVAC system at $6,700 to $13,400. A single-zone mini split runs $2,500 to $6,000, HomeGuide says. The City's Express Permit Program covers replacing existing heating or cooling equipment with equipment that does the same job (it notes that changing the energy source is OK), and installing a new heat pump or air conditioning system serving a single unit, with load calculations. Rooftop equipment needs a structural letter from an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer. The federal 25C credit ended for equipment installed after 2025, the IRS says, so ask ComEd and Peoples Gas about current rebates before you sign. More: heat pump installation cost, mini split installation and AC replacement cost.

AC repair, the 2022 Cooling Ordinance for large and senior buildings, and heat wave steps are on AC repair in Chicago.

Local rules, programs and climate for Chicago, from the official pages listed under Sources.

Questions to ask a Chicago HVAC company

1. What is the diagnostic fee, and does it go toward the repair? ConsumerAffairs lists $85 to $170 in Chicago.
2. Do you work on steam and hot water boilers as well as furnaces?
3. Will a replacement go through the Express Permit, and will you file the Peoples Gas rebate?
4. Can I see proof of insurance and a written price before work starts?

Heating and cooling pages for Chicago

• Boiler repair in Chicago: steam and hot water boilers, EHRP and Peoples Gas rebates
• AC repair in Chicago: no cooling, the Cooling Ordinance and heat wave steps

Frozen or burst pipes: plumber in Chicago. Other cities: HVAC repair in Minneapolis and HVAC repair in Indianapolis. National guide: HVAC repair; all trades: home repair costs. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).