HVAC emergency in Chicago? Call Bernie's Heating & A/C Service now! Same-day service available for all heating and cooling emergencies.
Last July a family in Logan Square called us at 11pm cause there AC died during a heat wave. Indoor temp was 92 degrees with a infant in the house. We had a tech there by midnight and it was a bad capacitor - $195 fix. They were cooling by 12:30am.
24-hour AC repair service gets your cooling system back on fast when it breaks down during peak summer heat. No after-hours fee - same pricing day or night. We dont charge extra just cause its 2am.
Before you call us - or anyone - take these steps to stay safe and possibly fix the problem yourself. Alot of times its something simple.
Set it to COOL mode, set temp to 68°F (well below room temperature). If nothing happens after 5 minutes, move to step 2. (10-15% of "emergency" calls are thermostats set to OFF or HEAT mode.)
If you have a programmable thermostat, make sure batteries aren't dead.
Your AC has TWO breakers: one for the indoor unit (furnace/air handler) and one for the outdoor unit (compressor). Check both in your electrical panel. Look for tripped breakers (switch in middle position). Flip fully OFF, then back ON.
If it trips again immediately, STOP. You have an electrical problem—call us.
Look for a gray box mounted on the wall near your outdoor AC unit. Inside is a pull-out disconnect or a switch. Make sure it's ON. (Landscapers accidentally turn these off monthly in Chicago. It happens.)
A clogged filter causes 30-40% of AC freeze-ups and "not cooling" complaints. Pull it out. If it's black/dirty or you can't see light through it, that's your problem. Replace it and give the AC 4 hours to thaw (fan on, AC off).
Frozen coil? Turn AC off, set fan to ON. It takes 3-6 hours to fully thaw.
If steps 1-4 didn't work, we'll walk you through a couple more checks on the phone. If it's truly broken, we'll dispatch a tech as fast as we can.
In the meantime: Close blinds, use fans, drink water, check on elderly neighbors, consider going to a cooling center if temps hit 95°F+ and you have vulnerable occupants.
Chicago heat waves dont care about buisness hours. When temps hit 95°F+ and humidity is 80%, AC failure is a health emergency. We see this every summer in Humboldt Park, Wicker Park, Bucktown and across the city.
15-25
Days 90°F+ Per Summer
5-10
Days 95°F+ Per Summer
300+
Emergency Calls (2023 Heat Wave)
24/7
Our Availability
During the 2023 Chicago heat wave, we recieved 300+ emergency AC calls over 5 consecutive days when temps hit 95°F+. Elderly residents were hospitalized. Top-floor apartments in Uptown and Rogers Park reached 110°F+. We dispatched 8 trucks and still had 6-hour wait times. That experiance taught us why true 24/7 emergency AC service matters in Chicago - cause AC failure during extreme heat is a genuine health emergency, not just a inconvience.
Were honest about response times. Heres what to expect based on when you call. We dont make promises we cant keep.
Goal: 2-4 hours for true emergencies (90°F+ outside, vulnerable occupants)
Reality: We prioritize based on outside temp and occupant risk (elderly, infants, top-floor apartments)
During heat waves: We dispatch 6-8 trucks and still get backed up. Expect 4-8 hours when it's 95°F+ and 200+ calls are coming in.
On-call techs: Usually 2-4 hours from dispatch to arrival
Same pricing: No after-hours fee. Same $89 diagnostic as daytime.
Honest triage: If your situation isn't dangerous, we'll tell you it's safe to wait until morning for faster/scheduled service.
Why we're honest about wait times: Other companies promise "1-hour service!" then make you wait 6 hours anyway. We'd rather set realistic expectations. If we say 3 hours and arrive in 2, you're happy. If we say 1 hour and show up in 3, you're angry (rightfully).
About 70-80% of AC emergencies are fixed same-visit because we stock the most common failure parts.
What if you need a part we don't stock? For rare parts, specialized boards, or major components (compressors, coils), we'll make the diagnosis same-day, give you an honest price quote, and return next day to install it. You'll stay on our priority list—we don't make you reschedule from scratch.
We don't hide the ball. Here's exactly what emergency service costs compared to scheduled.
| Service | Scheduled | Emergency |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Fee | $89 | $89 (same) |
| Capacitor Replacement | $180-220 | $180-220 (same) |
| Contactor Replacement | $200-280 | $200-280 (same) |
| Condensate Pump | $200-300 | $200-300 (same) |
| Refrigerant Leak Detection | $150-200 | $150-200 (same) |
We pay our on-call techs a premium for nights/weekends. But we don't pass that directly to you as a "$200 emergency fee." Instead, we build sustainable emergency coverage into our business model—because Chicago summers require it.
Other companies charge $89 diagnostic + $150-$200 "after-hours trip charge" = $239-$289 before they even touch your AC. We think that's predatory during heat waves when vulnerable people are suffering.
Not every AC problem needs a midnight service call. Here's how we help you decide—and we're always honest about it on the phone.
Heat index above 95°F makes AC failure a health emergency.
Elderly, infants, or people with heart/respiratory conditions.
Third-floor units can hit 110°F+ during heat waves.
Turn off AC immediately, call us. This is an electrical issue.
Open windows, use fans overnight. You'll be uncomfortable but safe.
If no one is heat-sensitive, waiting until morning is usually fine.
Partial cooling isn't an emergency. Schedule morning service.
Turn AC off, fan ON. Takes 4-6 hours to thaw. Call in morning.
Honest triage over the phone: When you call, we'll ask about outdoor temperature, whether you have vulnerable occupants, and whether you have cooling alternatives (basement, fans, nearby family). We'll tell you truthfully if your situation is safe to wait until morning—because you'll get faster service during business hours anyway.
No. We dont charge after-hours fees. Our diagnostic fee is $89 whether you call at 2pm or 2am. We beleive AC emergencys during Chicago heat waves shouldnt come with financial punishment.
For true emergencys (AC failure during 90°F+ heat with vulnerable occupants), we prioritize response. During buisness hours, we typicaly arrive within 2-4 hours. After hours, we dispatch on-call techs as quickly as possible, usualy 2-4 hours. During heat waves, expect 4-8 hours when were backed up with 200+ calls.
We stock common emergency parts (capacitors, contactors, condensate pumps, fuses) on our trucks. About 70-80% of AC emergencys are fixed same-visit. For specialty parts, we'll diagnose same-day, order the part, and return next day to install. You stay on our priority list - we dont make you reschedule from scratch.
Yes - Carrier, Lennox, Trane, Rheem, Goodman, Bryant, Amana, American Standard, York, Payne, and more. Weve been in buisness since 2008 and have seen pretty much everthing Chicago throws at us.
If your AC is blowing warm air or frozen up, turn it OFF and set the fan to ON to help thaw the coil. If you hear grinding noises or smell burning, turn it off immediatly and call us. If its just not cooling well, you can leave it running until we arrive.
Yes. Our after-hours line routes to an on-call tech who will answer (or call you back within 15 minutes). During heat wave events, we add extra phone coverage cause call volume spikes dramaticaly.
Call us 24/7. We'll asses your situation honestly, prioritize true emergencys, and get you comfortable as fast as possible. We serve Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Uptown, Rogers Park and all of Chicago. No after-hours fees - just fast, fair service when you need it most.
No after-hours fee • Same $89 diagnostic day or night • 70-80% fixed same-visit