HVAC Installation in Chicago, IL
A new system here will heat from October through May and cool from June through August every year. Tell us about the house, and a licensed contractor who covers Cook County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
What a system here has to handle
Cook County needs heat from October through May, eight months a year, and winter nights average 20°F through December through February. A new furnace has to be sized for those nights, not for a mild one in October. Summer is shorter, just June through August, but afternoons still average 82°F, so the cooling side has real work to do too. Eleven months out of the year, one or the other is running.
Most homes here heat with gas, and whatever you install has to meet the federal minimum efficiency set for this region. Power is worth asking about too. Illinois saw 16 percent of households lose power for 24 hours or more in 2024, and the last ten years brought 20 winter storms and 548 damaging wind events through the area. A new install is a chance to ask your contractor how the system holds up when the power drops on a cold night.
- 8 months
- October through May, your system heats
- 3 months
- June through August, it cools
- 20°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 82°F
- the average summer afternoon it cools against
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
In Illinois, HVAC licensing for homes is left to the cities and towns.
Check whether your city requires a license.
Source: Illinois General Assembly
- When should I replace my HVAC system?
- Replace it when repairs keep piling up or your furnace can't keep the house warm on the coldest nights. A furnace working to fight 20°F nights all winter is under more strain than one in a milder climate, so age and wear show up sooner here. If a technician has been out more than once this heating season, get a quote on a new system before it fails on you. Waiting for a full breakdown during the coldest stretch leaves you without heat when you need it most.
- Should I replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?
- If both are old, yes, it makes sense to do them together. A furnace and AC installed years apart wear at different rates, but when one is close to failing, the other usually isn't far behind. Homes here need heat from October through May and cooling from June through August, so the furnace does the heavier work and tends to show its age first. Replacing both at once also means the new equipment is matched to work together, rather than pairing a new unit with an old one that drags down its performance.
- What happens during an HVAC installation?
- A contractor removes the old furnace or air conditioner, sets the new one in place, and connects it to your ductwork, gas line or electrical circuit, and condensate drain. They check the ducts for leaks or sizing problems, since a new system connected to bad ductwork won't perform the way it should. Once it's running, they test airflow, check refrigerant charge on an AC, and confirm the thermostat is talking to the new equipment correctly. A contractor can walk you through what your specific home needs, since duct layout and venting vary house to house.