Frequently Asked Questions

We are based in New Lenox, IL, and proudly serve the South Suburbs of Chicago from Oak Park in the northwest to Monee in the south. Primary service area includes Mokena, Frankfort, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Joliet, Lockport, Homer Glen, Lemont, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Park Forest, and the towns in between. See our Service Areas page for the full map.

We are a small, family owned shop, so we do not currently offer 24/7 or after hours emergency service. We operate during standard business hours. If you leave us a voicemail or send a text overnight, we will get back to you first thing the next morning to get you on the schedule.

Absolutely. We are fully licensed and insured to perform HVAC installations, mechanical repairs, and major appliance services in the state of Illinois. We treat your home with the utmost respect and prioritize safety above all else.

You don't need to clean your whole house, but we do ask that you clear a path to the broken appliance or HVAC system! If the furnace is in a cluttered basement or the broken washing machine is buried under laundry, clearing the area helps us get straight to work diagnosing the problem safely and efficiently.

No. We know your time is valuable. Because we are a small, local team, we don't give you massive 8-hour waiting windows. We provide a narrow arrival window and will call or text you when our lead technician is on the way to your house, so you know exactly when to expect us.

We highly recommend having your system serviced twice a year. You should schedule an air conditioning tune up in the spring and a furnace inspection in the fall. Regular maintenance extends the life of your equipment, keeps your energy bills low, and catches small problems before they become expensive breakdowns.

As a general rule, standard 1-inch filters should be changed every 30 to 90 days. However, if you have multiple pets, suffer from allergies, or keep your windows open often, you should check and replace your filter every month. A clogged filter is the number one cause of furnace breakdowns.

We proudly install premium HEIL heating and cooling systems. HEIL is a Carrier product known for incredible reliability, quiet operation, and energy efficiency. We stand by their equipment, and every new HEIL installation comes backed by a comprehensive 10-year warranty.

With regular maintenance, a modern gas furnace typically lasts between 15 and 20 years. Central air conditioning units generally last between 12 and 15 years. If your system is approaching this age and requiring frequent repairs, upgrading to a new high efficiency unit is usually the smarter financial choice.

It usually comes down to the 20-degree rule. Most residential air conditioners are designed to cool your home to a maximum of 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature. If it is 100° outside, an indoor temperature of 80° means your system is actually running at peak performance. If the air coming out of your vents is cold, you likely do not need a repair.

To help your system keep up on extreme days:

• Change your filter: A dirty filter restricts airflow and suffocates the system.
• Block the sun: Keep blinds and curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day.
• Use ceiling fans: Moving air feels cooler and helps distribute the conditioned air evenly.

If the air from the vents feels warm or the unit is making strange noises, then it is time to give us a call during regular business hours.

Yes, absolutely. Keeping those PVC intake and exhaust pipes clear is a critical safety and maintenance step, especially during the heavy snowfalls we get around the South Suburbs.

High-efficiency furnaces vent directly out the side of the house rather than up through a chimney. If snow or ice blocks the exhaust pipe, dangerous carbon monoxide can back up into your home. If the intake pipe gets covered, the system gets starved of air. Most modern furnaces have a built-in safety sensor that will detect this lack of airflow and shut the entire system down to prevent damage, which would leave your house without heat.

Here is the best way to handle it:

• Clear a wide area: Try to keep at least a two-foot clearance around the pipes so drifting snow doesn't immediately cover them back up.
• Be gentle: Use your hands, a broom, or a soft snow brush to clear the area. Avoid using a hard plastic or metal shovel, as cold PVC can become brittle and crack easily if accidentally struck.
• Check inside the pipes: Sometimes blowing snow can accumulate just inside the lip of the pipe or form an ice blockage. Carefully brush out any buildup you can see.

Making it a habit to check those pipes every time you head out to shovel the driveway will ensure your furnace keeps running safely and efficiently all winter.

The short answer is yes, and it is not just a sales pitch. Skipping annual maintenance on your furnace is like never changing the oil in your car; the system might run fine for a while, but it will eventually lead to a major, expensive breakdown.

Here is why an annual tune-up is actually worth it:

• Safety First: Gas furnaces produce carbon monoxide. During a tune-up, we thoroughly inspect the heat exchanger for microscopic cracks that could leak this dangerous gas into your home.
• Warranty Protection: Most major manufacturers (including HEIL) actually require proof of annual professional maintenance to keep their 10-year warranties valid. If a major part fails and the system has been neglected, the manufacturer can legally deny the warranty claim.
• Catching Small Problems: A weak capacitor or a dirty flame sensor is a cheap, quick fix. If left ignored, those small issues force the system to work harder and can cause your expensive blower motor to burn out completely on the coldest night of the year.
• Lower Energy Bills: A clean, well-lubricated system does not have to run as long to heat your home, which keeps your winter gas and electric bills as low as possible.

If it has been more than a year since your last inspection, give us a call or send a text during our regular business hours to get on the schedule.

This is the most common question we get! Our general rule of thumb is the "50 percent rule." If your appliance is more than halfway through its expected lifespan and the repair will cost more than 50 percent of the price of a new unit, we will honestly recommend replacing it. If it is a newer appliance or an affordable fix, repairing it is the way to go.

We have the technical expertise to troubleshoot and repair all major household appliance brands. This includes Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, GE, Frigidaire, Kenmore, and Bosch.

You should have your dryer vent professionally cleaned at least once a year. If you have a large family and do multiple loads of laundry a day, you may need it cleaned every six months. Clogged vents are a major fire hazard and force your dryer to work twice as hard, running up your electric bill.

If your fridge never seems to turn off, the most common culprit is dirty condenser coils. When the coils under or behind the fridge are caked in dust and pet hair, the compressor has to run constantly to keep the food cold. If cleaning the coils does not solve the issue, you likely have a failing defrost system or a bad temperature sensor that requires a professional diagnostic.

At this time we do not service Samsung or LG refrigerator brands. We do service all other major brands including GE, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, Maytag, and Kenmore. Call us at 708-636-4705 if you're unsure.

Yes! We provide free, no obligation estimates for all new HVAC system installations and major replacements. For repairs and diagnostics on existing equipment, we will clearly explain our service call process when you contact us.

We believe in honest, straight talk pricing. After we inspect your broken furnace, AC, or appliance, we will tell you exactly what is wrong and quote the exact cost of the fix before we touch the tools. There are no hidden fees or surprise charges at the end of the job.

Yes, we proudly offer discounts for seniors and active or retired military personnel. Just mention it to us when you call or when we arrive at your home.

We provide free estimates for all new system installations and replacements. For repairs, we charge a standard diagnostic fee to come out, safely inspect your equipment, and determine exactly what is broken. However, if you choose to move forward with the repair, we wave the diagnostic fee, you only pay for the repair itself. We always quote the total cost of the fix before we touch the tools.