When a boiler problem is an emergency
Some boiler faults are about comfort. Others are about safety. A boiler that has stopped heating the building, shows water on the floor, trips its breaker repeatedly, or makes a loud banging noise needs a technician the same day. A tenant with no heat in cold weather deserves the same urgency.
Gas smell or carbon monoxide alarm
If you smell gas or your carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone outside first. Once outside, call the gas utility or 911. Leave switches and appliances alone, and never try to relight the boiler. We will follow once the area is declared safe.
For everything else, a few quick checks sometimes restore heat: confirm the thermostat is set above the room temperature, check the switch near the boiler, and look at the pressure gauge. If it reads near zero, tell us the number when you call.
What the symptom usually means
| Symptom | Likely cause | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| No heat at all | No power, failed ignition or tripped safety | Power, thermostat, ignition, safety lockout |
| Heat but cold radiators | Air trapped in the system or a stuck pump | Bleed valves, circulator pump |
| Loud banging or rumbling | Scale on the heat exchanger or weak circulation | Water flow, pressure, exchanger condition |
| Water at the base of the boiler | Leaking valve, fitting or heat exchanger | Source of the drip, relief valve |
| Pressure too high or too low | Failed expansion tank or fill valve | Tank charge, fill valve |
| Boiler cycles on and off quickly | Oversized unit or blocked flue | Thermostat, venting, controls |
A leaking boiler can be a simple valve or a failed internal part. We find out which before we talk about replacement. If the leak is somewhere else in your pipes, our leak detection crew can trace it.
Old buildings and shared heating plants
North Chicago has 2,553 homes built before 1960, including 1,479 from 1939 or earlier, and 2,229 homes in buildings of five or more units. Older buildings are more likely to carry the original heating style, and a larger building often has one central boiler feeding many apartments.
That changes the call. A central boiler that fails leaves dozens of people cold at once, and the manager needs a plain answer fast: what broke, can it be repaired tonight, and what happens if parts must be ordered. We write that down and give it to the property manager.
We cannot tell from the street which heating system a building has. Our first question on the phone is what type of system you have, and our second is where the boiler sits.
Hot water, steam or something else?
Hot-water boiler
Heated water circulates through pipes to radiators or baseboards. Common problems are trapped air, pumps and pressure faults.
Steam boiler
Steam rises in pipes and condenses in radiators. Common problems are low water cutoffs, stuck vents and water hammer.
Combination system
A boiler that also makes domestic hot water. A failure can cost you heat and showers together.
If your hot water also comes from the boiler and runs cold, tell us. A separate tank heater is another job, handled on our water heater repair page.
Renters without heat: what to do
North Chicago is a renter-majority city, 4,744 occupied units against 2,292 owner-occupied, so many calls come from a tenant whose owner is not picking up. Photograph the thermostat and the boiler gauge, write down the time heat stopped, and notify the landlord in writing as well as by phone.
What we can do for tenants and managers
- Diagnose the fault and tell you whether it is a quick repair or a longer one.
- Give the owner a written description of the repair, the part and the cause.
- Recommend whether the boiler is safe to run until the part arrives.
- Provide a clear price before work starts, billed to whoever authorizes it.
We cannot decide who is responsible for heat under your lease. The city can explain local rules, and City Hall's number is 847-596-8600.
Service before the cold arrives
Most boiler failures show warning signs. A pilot that blows out, a slow rise in pressure, a small drip at a valve, or radiators that take longer to warm are all cheap to look at in September and expensive to ignore in January. A service visit includes a look at the pressure, the flue, the pump and the safety controls.
If we find the boiler is near the end of its life, we say so, with the reasons, and leave the decision to you. When replacement does make sense, our plumbing installation team can quote it and explain which parts of the existing piping can be reused.
We also take heating calls in Lake Forest, and the same questions apply there: which system you have and how old it is.
What a boiler repair costs
What changes the price
Pressing a reset and replacing a heat exchanger are worlds apart, so we price after the diagnosis.
Boiler down tonight? Call and we will find you the first open slot.
Call (847) 281-8626Boiler questions answered
Nights, weekends and holidays are all covered by a staffed line. Tell the dispatcher what the boiler shows on its display or gauge, and if any water is leaking. Many calls are handled the same day.
That usually means air is trapped in the radiator. Bleeding it often fixes the problem. If several radiators do this, the system may need air removed more thoroughly or have a circulator pump issue.
A small drip at a valve can sometimes wait for a visit, but running a boiler with water at the base risks damaging controls. Turn the boiler off and call if the leak is more than a few drops.
Yes, on each level and near sleeping areas, following the alarm maker's instructions. An alarm does not replace service, but it gives you a warning when something goes wrong.
Tell us the make, size and fuel type when you call. For a larger building plant, we will confirm on the phone what we can do before we send a technician, so you are not waiting on a truck that cannot finish the job.
The boiler's make and age if you know them, what the display or gauge says, if you smell gas, and if the thermostat calls for heat. Photos help.
No heat or a leaking boiler?
Tell us what the boiler is showing and we will pick it up from there, usually the same day.
Call (847) 281-8626