AC Repair on the North Shore
Most AC failures come down to a handful of causes: a failed run capacitor, a seized contactor, a low refrigerant charge from a leak, a clogged condensate drain, or a frozen evaporator coil from restricted airflow. We test rather than assume, because adding refrigerant to a system that is leaking is money poured into the yard - if the charge is low there is a leak, and we find it before we fill it. Repairs are quoted flat and approved by you before any work starts. One honest caveat specific to older systems: if your condenser runs on R-22, that refrigerant has been phased out and is expensive when it is available at all, which changes the repair-or-replace math considerably. We will lay that out plainly if it applies to your unit.
Plus a $99-$169 diagnostic, credited toward the repair. Compressor failures and R-22 refrigerant work run substantially higher - we price those before starting, not after.
Call us when you're seeing this
- Running but not cooling, or barely cooling
- Outdoor unit is silent, or hums without the fan turning
- Ice on the refrigerant line or the indoor coil
- Water pooling near the indoor unit or a backed-up drain
- Breaker trips when the AC starts
- Cooling has faded gradually over a season or two
Our process
- 1Call and book a diagnostic
Tell us what the system is doing. We schedule a diagnostic visit to your home - same day where we can, and priority dispatch for no-heat and no-cool calls.
- 2We find the actual fault
A technician tests the system rather than guessing at it, and tells you what failed and why. The diagnostic fee is credited toward the repair if you go ahead.
- 3You get the price before we touch it
You approve a flat, written repair price up front. No parts get ordered and no work starts until you say yes.
- 4Repair - and the honest number if it isn't worth it
Most repairs are done in a single visit. If the repair is a poor buy against the age of the system, we show you that math and what replacement would cost, then leave the decision with you.
Why choose us for this work
- · We diagnose the actual fault instead of replacing parts until it works.
- · Flat repair pricing, approved by you in writing before any work starts.
- · Diagnostic fee credited toward the repair.
- · 24/7 dispatch for no-heat and no-cool calls.
- · Straight repair-or-replace math - no scare tactics to sell a system.
When a repair stops being the right buy
The rough test we use: multiply the repair price by the age of the system. If that number clears the cost of a new one, replacement is usually the better spend - and on equipment past 15 years, out of warranty, or running phased-out R-22, it often is. We will run that math with you before you approve anything, and we are happy to do the repair if that is what you want.
See what replacement costsTowns we serve
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new furnace or AC cost on the North Shore?
Installed furnace replacements typically run $4,500-$9,000, central AC $5,000-$10,000, and a full furnace-plus-AC system $9,000-$18,000. Boilers (common in older North Shore homes) run $7,000-$15,000, and heat pumps $10,000-$22,000 before rebates. Final pricing depends on system size, efficiency, and how your home is configured. Every quote is written and itemized after an in-home estimate.
Should I repair or replace my system?
As a rule of thumb, if a system is 15+ years old, needs a repair that costs more than about a third of a new unit, or has failed more than once in a season, replacement usually saves money over time. We give an honest recommendation - if a repair makes more sense, we'll say so, and we'll do the repair.
Do you do repairs, or only replacements?
Both. We repair furnaces, air conditioners, and boilers, with a $99-$169 diagnostic that is credited toward the repair and a flat repair price you approve in writing before any work starts. Most repairs run $180-$950 depending on the equipment and the fault. Replacement is what we specialize in, but that does not mean we push it - a good system with a failed part gets the part.
Do you offer a maintenance plan or service agreement?
Yes. Plans run $199-$399 per year depending on tier and how many systems the home has, and cover two seasonal visits - heating in the fall, cooling in the spring - plus priority dispatch and a discounted repair rate for members. A one-off tune-up without a plan is $129-$199. Most manufacturer warranties require documented annual maintenance, so a plan also keeps that coverage intact.
Do you help with ComEd, Nicor, and federal rebates?
Yes. High-efficiency furnaces, AC, heat pumps, and boilers often qualify for Nicor Gas and ComEd rebates - heat pumps can earn tiered ComEd rebates of roughly $1,400-$2,000 depending on equipment. We size and select equipment to hit rebate thresholds and hand off the documentation you need to claim them.
My furnace died in the middle of winter - can you help fast?
Yes. We run a 24/7 emergency line for no-heat and no-cool situations. When a system can't be safely or economically revived, we can often provide temporary heat and get a replacement installed quickly.
AC Repair - Service Areas
Evanston is the North Shore's largest city, a dense mix of historic homes, two-flats, and university-area prop...
Winnetka is a lakefront village of large, older homes where heating and cooling systems are often decades past...
Wilmette is an established North Shore suburb where a large share of homes are well past the point of easy rep...
Kenilworth is a small, historic lakefront village of architecturally significant homes. Nearly every project i...
Glencoe is an affluent lakefront village of substantial older homes. Boiler replacements, cooling retrofits, a...
Highland Park is a large Lake County lakefront city with a wide mix of housing ages. From boiler replacements ...
Lake Forest is an estate community of large, older homes where heating and cooling systems are often multi-zon...
Lake Bluff is a small lakefront village of older, well-kept homes. Boiler replacements and full-system furnace...
Northbrook is a large, family-oriented suburb of postwar and later homes. Furnace-and-AC full-system replaceme...
Glenview is a large suburb with a wide range of home ages, from postwar neighborhoods to newer construction at...
Northfield is a quiet, established village between Winnetka and Northbrook. Boiler replacements and full-syste...
Deerfield is a family-centered Lake County suburb of mid-century and newer homes. Matched furnace-and-AC repla...
Bannockburn is a small, leafy Lake County village of large properties. Multi-zone furnace-and-AC replacements ...
Skokie is a large, established near-north suburb of postwar homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements and...
Park Ridge is a classic near-north suburb of older brick homes and bungalows. Boiler replacements, cooling ret...
Morton Grove is a settled near-north suburb of mid-century homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements and ...
Niles is an established Cook County suburb of mid-century homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements and h...
Lincolnwood is a compact suburb bordering Chicago with a mix of home sizes. Full-system replacements and boile...
Golf is a tiny, historic village of large homes surrounded by Morton Grove and Glenview. Nearly every project ...
Lincolnshire is an upscale Lake County suburb of newer, larger homes. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements ...
Long Grove is a semi-rural Lake County village of large estate homes. Multi-zone furnace-and-AC replacements a...
Mettawa is a rural Lake County village of large estates. Multi-zone replacements and boiler modernization in s...
Buffalo Grove is a big family suburb straddling Cook and Lake counties, built largely from the 1970s on. Match...
Vernon Hills is a newer Lake County suburb of planned neighborhoods. Full-system furnace-and-AC replacements a...
Riverwoods is a wooded Lake County village of mid-century and custom homes on acre-plus lots. Cooling retrofit...
Knollwood is a small unincorporated Lake County community of postwar ranch homes. Furnace-and-AC changeouts, p...
Libertyville pairs a pre-war downtown core still on boilers with 1990s-and-later subdivisions now reaching the...