Expert Heating & Cooling Services in Wilmette, IL

Wilmette’s lakefront homes and century-old streets near the Cage call for a technician comfortable with both, and that range is exactly what Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning has built since 1904, when the business delivered coal and ice by horse-drawn carriage rather than furnaces. The move into furnace repair came in 1955, and the same family has run the company through four generations since. Our Carrier-certified team installs, repairs, replaces, and maintains furnaces, air conditioners, boilers, heat pumps, ductless systems, and indoor air quality equipment throughout the village. Call 847-861-5559 or request service online to schedule service today.

Air Conditioning Repair & Installation

Warm air from the vents, short cycling, unusual noise, or a leak are all reasons to call before assuming a system is done for. Our air conditioner technicians diagnose the actual problem first and repair whatever can be repaired; when a unit is old enough or undersized for the space, we’ll say so and install the right replacement. Regular maintenance in between keeps whichever system you have running efficiently.

Lakefront homes near Gillson Park deal with more humidity off Lake Michigan than properties further inland, which changes how a system should be sized and how often it needs attention. Turn-of-the-century homes in the Cage, the historic pocket near downtown bounded by Chestnut, Ashland, Greenwood, and Elmwood, often have original ductwork that needs careful evaluation before a new unit goes in. A tune-up before the first real heat wave catches most problems before they turn into an emergency call.

Furnace Repair & Installation

A furnace that cycles too often, heats unevenly, or won’t start is more often a repair than a replacement, the cause usually traces back to something specific like a failing igniter or a clogged flame sensor. Our technicians track down that cause first. When the equipment itself is what’s failing, we handle the replacement and size the new furnace correctly for your home; either way, keeping up with maintenance is what keeps that decision further off.

Wilmette’s older homes, especially the turn-of-the-century Victorians and Cape Cods near downtown and the Cage, often still run furnaces original or close to original to the house, while newer construction near Plaza del Lago and 4th & Linden tends to run higher-efficiency equipment installed during more recent renovations. A fall inspection before the first hard freeze is the easiest way to avoid a no-heat call in January regardless of which side of that split your home falls on.

Boiler Repair & Installation

Even heat and quiet operation are why a fair number of Wilmette’s older homes have never switched away from boiler heat. Our technicians repair and maintain hydronic systems and radiator heat without treating them like something they’re not, and when a full install or replacement makes more sense than another repair, we’ll explain why before we explain what it costs.

Some of the village’s oldest housing stock, particularly in the Cage and along the tree-lined streets near the Village Green, still has its original boiler systems. Understanding why they were designed a certain way lets us recommend upgrades that improve efficiency without tearing out something that’s still doing its job.

Heat Pump Installation & Repair

Heating and cooling from a single system is the appeal of a heat pump, though how well it performs through a Wilmette winter comes down to the equipment and the home’s insulation. Our technicians install, repair, and maintain heat pump systems and can tell you honestly whether a standard heat pump gets you through a Wilmette January or whether pairing one with backup furnace heat makes more sense.

Homeowners renovating near Plaza del Lago and around the 4th & Linden retail district are increasingly landing on heat pumps instead of a separate furnace-and-AC setup, especially in homes where insulation and windows have already been updated as part of the same project.

Geothermal Heat Pump Services

Lower operating costs are the long-term payoff of a geothermal system, though the loop field it needs only fits on certain properties. Our technicians evaluate lot size, yard access, and existing mechanicals before recommending geothermal installation, repair, or ongoing maintenance, rather than treating it as a fit for every home.

Wilmette’s larger properties further from the lakefront, away from the tighter lots near Gillson Park and downtown, tend to have more of the yard space geothermal actually needs. For homeowners evaluating it, we’ll tell you plainly whether your property can support it before you spend money finding out the hard way.

Mini Split & Ductless Systems

Not every addition or converted space justifies the cost of extending ductwork to reach it. A ductless system handles an addition, a converted attic, or a single stubborn room without that cost and disruption, and it’s often the more efficient choice for spaces that only need occasional heating or cooling. Our technicians install new systems, repair or replace units that are underperforming, and keep existing ductless equipment maintained so it lasts.

Additions and finished spaces near Mallinckrodt Park and older homes throughout the Cage are common candidates, since converted attics and sunrooms in these older properties frequently have no practical duct access at all.

Indoor Air Quality Services

Before adding a filter, purifier, or ventilation system, we look at what your home’s existing indoor air quality equipment already handles. Sometimes the fix is a repair or a simple filter swap; other times a home needs a new system installed, or an aging one replaced, to deal with what’s circulating through it.

Homes near Gillson Park, the Baha’i House of Worship, and Elmwood Dunes Preserve deal with lakefront humidity and seasonal pollen in ways that inland properties don’t, and the right IAQ fix depends on whether that’s actually what’s driving the complaint or whether it’s dust, pet dander, or ventilation instead.

Zone Control System Installation

Hot and cold spots that don’t respond to the thermostat are usually a zoning problem, not a sign you need a bigger unit. Our zone control systems installs add dampers and separate thermostats so each part of the house runs at its own setting; we also repair components that stick or fail, and maintain the system so it keeps performing the way it was designed to.

Larger homes near Sheridan Road and the lakefront often have finished lower levels, sunrooms, or additions that all want something different from the thermostat. Zoning solves that without forcing the whole system to work harder than it needs to.

Water Heater Repair & Replacement

Inconsistent temperature, longer recovery times, and unusual noise are the signs a water heater is struggling before it fails completely. We repair what’s fixable, and when replacement makes more sense, we’ll explain whether a like-for-like install or a switch to tankless solves the problem for your household.

Larger households and multi-bath homes near downtown Wilmette and around Plaza del Lago routinely push a standard tank system to its limit during peak morning hours, which is usually when tankless starts to make more sense than another tank.

Commercial HVAC Services

The cost of downtime almost always outpaces the repair bill itself, so our commercial services team prioritizes getting a business back up and running fast and stocks the parts that fail most often during peak season. We also handle new installs, full equipment replacements, and the maintenance contracts that keep a building from needing an emergency call in the first place.

The shops and restaurants around downtown Wilmette’s Village Center, along 4th & Linden, and at Plaza del Lago depend on reliable heating and cooling to keep customers and employees comfortable year-round.

HVAC Maintenance Plans

A maintenance visit does a lot more than replace a filter. Our technicians check electrical connections, verify refrigerant charge and airflow, and catch the small wear that turns into a bigger repair, or an early replacement, if it’s left alone for another season. Shavitz maintenance plans include two visits a year along with discounts and priority scheduling.

Spring cooling checks matter most for lakefront homes dealing with summer humidity, while fall furnace and boiler maintenance is what catches issues in Wilmette’s older homes near the Cage and downtown before the first hard freeze. Either visit is also when we flag anything that’s likely to need a fuller install down the road, before it becomes urgent.

Why Wilmette Homeowners Choose Shavitz

Bronson Shavitz represents the fourth generation of his family to run this company, a business that’s been part of the North Shore community since 1904. That kind of history matters in a village like Wilmette, where a service call might mean an original boiler in a century-old home near the Cage one day and a newer high-efficiency system near Plaza del Lago the next.

That history comes with credentials to match: Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer status, N.A.T.E. certified technicians, the Carrier President’s Award, and a Contractor of the Year honor from the Greater Chicago Refrigeration Service Engineers Society. Nearly 2,900 Google reviews averaging 4.9 stars are the kind of track record that’s hard to fake over four generations.

Frequently Asked Wilmette HVAC Questions

Is it worth repairing a furnace or AC that’s over 10 years old, or should I just replace it?

Age alone isn’t the deciding factor, repair cost relative to replacement cost is. If a repair runs less than half the price of a new system and the equipment hasn’t failed repeatedly, it’s usually worth fixing. Past that threshold, or with equipment already in its second decade, replacement typically saves money over the next few years. Our technicians walk you through the actual numbers for your specific system rather than defaulting to either answer.

How fast can I get a same-day furnace or AC repair in Wilmette?

Same-day service is common for no-heat and no-cool calls, and we prioritize those over routine maintenance visits when the schedule allows. Call 847-861-5559 or request service online and we’ll get a technician out as soon as we can, especially during a cold snap or heat wave when demand spikes across the North Shore.

What should I look for in an HVAC company for an older Wilmette home versus a newer one?

Look for a company with real experience on both ends, boiler and radiator systems in century-old homes near the Cage, and high-efficiency forced air or ductless equipment in newer or recently renovated properties. A technician who only knows one side of that will either overcomplicate a simple job or miss what makes an older system different.

Do I need a permit to replace or install HVAC equipment in Wilmette?

In most cases, yes, mechanical permits are typically required through the Village of Wilmette for equipment replacement and new installation work. We handle that paperwork as part of installation jobs so it’s one less thing on your plate.

Is an HVAC maintenance plan worth it, or should I just call when something breaks?

A maintenance plan usually costs less over a year than a single emergency repair, and it catches the wear that leads to no-heat and no-cool calls in the first place. For Wilmette’s older homes with boilers or original ductwork, staying ahead of small issues matters even more, since those systems tend to fail at the worst possible moment, the coldest night or the hottest week.

Is a geothermal system realistic for a typical Wilmette lot?

It depends on the lot. Smaller, tightly packed properties near the lakefront and downtown usually don’t have the yard space geothermal loops need, while larger lots further inland are often a better fit. Our technicians can tell you plainly whether your specific property qualifies before you invest in a design.

What makes Shavitz different from another North Shore HVAC company?

A hundred-plus years in the same family is the kind of thing you can’t shortcut your way into. Pair that with Carrier’s top dealer recognition and a 4.9-star average across nearly 2,900 reviews, and the choice usually comes down to whether you want an established name or a newer one still building that record.

Schedule HVAC Service in Wilmette, IL

A century-old boiler near the Cage, a new heat pump near Plaza del Lago, commercial HVAC in downtown Wilmette, Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning covers all of it. We serve homeowners and businesses throughout Wilmette with heating, cooling, indoor air quality, and commercial HVAC services.

From emergency repairs to full replacements, the goal doesn’t change: honest advice and work done right. Call 847-861-5559 or request service online to schedule your appointment today.