Great HVAC company in the greater Chicagoland area. Have been using this company twice a year for several years now and had excellent service each time. Thank you, Eddie, for servicing our a/c and teaching us how to replace the air filter. No need to remember when to have your furnace or a/c service because this company call YOU to schedule when to come. Isn't that great. No other company does this and we really appreciate their thoughtfulness. read more

Our furnace was making a strange noise earlier in the week. Al came to look at it yesterday and did an outstanding job of not only making sure everything was running smoothly but also talking through the process and explaining how each part works and what to look and listen for in the future. Very thorough in his inspection and very informative in his explanations. I would definitely ask for him again when needed! read more

My Carrier a/c is making a really bad rattling noise. I called Carrier who referred me this company and told me the unit has a 10 year enhanced warranty. I called and they came the next day to give me a diagnostic but were 45 minutes late. I had to reschedule another appointment because they were late. Five minutes of the diagnostic and $90.00 later the tech tells what he thought was wrong and that he would order the part. I said well what are your rates since the part is covered under warranty, he tells me it will be some administrative charges for the girls doing paperwork around $100.00 and 2 hours of labor for a 20 minute job. I understand labor charges but not 2 hours for a 20 minute job, and I don't understand the administrative fee of $100.00. so basically I'm paying for the part that is supposed to be under warranty. This will run about $400 to $450 for a part under warranty. Run, run, run from this company. read more

Had the AC tuned up for the Summer, and during the inspection several items of concern were brought to my attention. Jeremy explained these to me and what his recommendations were so that I wouldn't have an outage over the summer. Jeremy was very professional and knowledgeable. I have been an Official Heating customer for years and would recommend them to anyone looking for heating and AC work. read more

I needed to replace my Carrier A/C and they did a great job! Very professional and quick service at fair prices. I received a quote from a different company that wanted to charge me a lot more. I would use them again. I highly recommend! read more

There were twelve reviews when I wrote this. 4 of them 1 star. And now mine as well. They promised to come out for $135 call out fee as in extra hours service. Fair enough as it was 103 degrees outside. I asked them if could have a $20 discount as a long time user originally through Approved comfort. They refused and said they had no record of us having purchased a brand new ac system for $3,500 - 2.5 years ago with a five year warranty . Small condo unit. I had to dig that out and email it to them, but still they refused saying we had not had it serviced regularly. True but then they said they wouldn't be coming out till the next day due to a miscommunication with their own staff. By this time the temp inside was 80 degrees an would have been over 100 by the next day with the heatwave. Not impressed. Another very reputable company came out within the hour and was basically half the price and also offered a much better annual maintenance plan for about 30% less. read more

Zero honesty, zero integrity, deceptive practices, and rude, disrespectful office manager to go with it! This one sentence will save your time and money if you are reading this review to hire this company. However, if you are curious, then read this review, read other reviews which gave them one star. Read positive reviews as well if you want but those customers are bracing themselves for a bad experience when something goes wrong, and it comes to honor contracts. Morale and Ethics are not the words in this company's dictionary. Their technicians seemed to be under pressure and seemed to be sent on a mission to fish for more business. They are probably not provided with information to do their homework about the service call, are not informed about the previous work performed, and some of them wash their hands about whatever was done by other technicians from their own company. Left hand does not know what the right hand is doing! I don't like to write reviews with criticisms and always like to give the businesses a fair chance to correct the problem as it takes a long time to earn reputation but takes no time to lose it. I urged the office manager to have the owners call me so that I can understand their perspective, but instead she rudely and disrespectfully refused, insulted, and threatened to hang up on me and did hang up. Owners perhaps may not have any idea as to how many customers this manager may have insulted and driven away as not many people bother to write reviews. You may ask as to why I didn't read negative reviews before hiring them. This is because, another company which sold me the AC units and gave 10 years parts and labor warranty did a phenomenal job for many years and was bought out by this company. This company informed me that they will honor all contracts of the company they bought out if I retain them to do annual maintenance. It turned out to be a trap! After paying them for a couple of years for maintenance, when the AC stopped cooling, they took 180 degrees turn and flatly refused to honor the contract, washing their hands! They started sending different people, charging me for the trips, ripping me off stating refrigerant and labor is not covered as we did not install it whereas they had informed me before that they would honor other company's contract. It had been almost 12 months and three trips, but problem was not fixed, and they still wanted me to pay more on 'leak test' for compressor which their technician said has to do at night! (Never heard that before!) Last time when they sent a technician, he didn't do anything, looked around and said we must do another leak test. Asked me to pay for his diagnosis. I told him you didn't do any diagnosis but if you want to charge, add charges of this trip to the technician who does the diagnostic work, and I will pay. He agreed but he turned around and reported to the office manager that the customer is refusing to pay. The office manager accused me of refusing to pay and started making insulting statements at me when I called. I refused to engage them anymore unless I spoke with the owners but in return the office manager refused to have the owners call me, insulted me, threatened to hang up and hung up. It turned out to be a wakeup call for me to turn to another company, which came in, right away knew that what this company was going to do would not have resulted in nothing but a wild goose chase as the problem was with the coil indoors and not the compressor. They put in refrigerant to keep our home cool, did not charge a penny for that trip or refrigerant, ordered new coil from the manufacturer as it was under warranty, came in and fixed the problem. By misbehaving, Official HVAC company turned out to be penny wise and pound foolish, lost my repeat business, will lose more business for sure. I hope this review saves time and money of several customers and the company changes its policies, attitudes, and the rude disrespectful office manager instead of responding to this review with a jab at me, blame on social media, lame excuses, false notes from technicians and lies. read more

We scheduled a representative to come out to the house to provide a quote on work we wanted done. Bill, the VP of Sales (according to the business card he left) is the one that came out. I received a call with the quote a few days later. A few days after that we decided to go with this company for the work so I called Bill to confirm the price and schedule the install date; I had to leave a voicemail. I received a return call with an install date except now the price for the work had gone up. I called and spoke to Mary. Bill told her he'd never been to our house (why lie?) but when I gave her the date of our appointment, the visit was located. I also pointed out that I have had his business card. Mary said she spoke to the owner who agreed to do the work for the lower, quoted price, which we appreciated, and quite frankly, expected since it was the company representative who made the mistake. I requested an afternoon or weekend install date which apparently required approval from the owner. Finally received a call back only to be told a weekend day could be scheduled but not at the quoted price. She actually said the owner was willing to 'compromise' by giving a discount of 1/3 the normal price (meaning we'd have to pay 2/3 more than what we were quoted). This was extremely frustrating, and leaves us with a bad feeling about this company. We have now wasted almost 4 weeks dealing with this when we could have had someone who doesn't play pricing games come out and do the work we need. read more

Last night our AC just quit on us. Knowing we are in the middle of a 90 degree heat wave I expected that it might be hard to get quick service. Called Official at about 9AM and Corky arrived within an hour. He was friendly and professional and diagnosed a bad capacitor in the condenser as the culprit. With in 2 hours of calling them I was again enjoying cool air! read more

Official bought out the business that installed our air conditioner. So we thought to have Official come fix it when it was no longer cooling. The repair person installed an old/used part that was needed. It did not work. Had to call another HVAC business to come fix it. Second business did the job. We do not recommend Official at all. read more

Woke up to no heat today, luckily it's 9 degrees instead of below zero. Called Official Heating at 730, received a call back in 5 minutes. The technician was here by 830. Heat was running by 9 AM. We've used this company for the last several years to perform preventative maintenance. The guys are always knowledgeable, honest and polite. Office staff is friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend them. read more

We were in a bind, going out of town in a day and our hot water heater went out. I called Official and they were able to send out a very knowledgeable technician within 2-3 hours. Very reasonable price. We had another question the next day, not related to anything the technician did, so called back and the very pleasant lady on the phone contacted the technician for us and he even came back to our home within an hour to answer some questions. He was very honest. We will be using them now on for all of our heating and cooling needs. They're kindness and speediness will not go forgotten for sure! We will also tell everyone we know, about our experience. Thank you Official!! read more

Our furnace was not running properly on Saturday. We called them close to 3 pm and got through to the emergency contact. Eddie was the service technician that came out within an hour. He was thorough, professional and fixed what was needed to get our home warm again. There was no up-selling in the process. Just an honest and fair evaluation of the problem which was then fixed. Pricing was fair for a late Saturday afternoon. read more

We purchased our new furnace and air conditioner from Official two or three years ago. Every year when we get our air conditioner cleaned, it stops working two weeks later. This is so frustrating!! They are accommodating to come out to fix the problem, but this time around they were unable to fix it in their visit. I will probably not use them again because it is just too much of a pain to have our new ac break after they are supposed to be maintaining it. Going to call Ibbotson in the morning to have it fixed again. read more

We had a furnace and AC installed in March, and the AC has quit twice already. The first time the service man said that there was a leak in the coolant line that should have been caught sooner. Now, not even three weeks later, the AC cannot keep the house cool. I called to ask for service and even though the equipment barely four months old, the service man on the phone said that I would have to pay $40 for him to come out on a weekend, warranty or not. I am very disappointed. I actually recommended Official to one of my neighbors and just called them to apologize for doing that. read more

I recently had to undertake the fun task of getting quotes for a replacement furnace and air conditioner for our home. I researched everywhere from Costco to smaller and larger local HVAC companies. I am happy to have come across Vince and his company. As a Realtor, I come across many businesses, and I am happy to have found this company for my ongoing referrals. Active Air Plus sent Gerry who arrived promptly at the time he stated he would be here. We were impressed that Gerry also did service work, so we could really drill down on the brands he serviced a lot and those he didn't. He also laid out all our options, giving us a choice, not just recommending the most expensive solution benefiting THEM and their bottom line, he was sensitive to our budget first and foremost. After meeting with them, I did shop the Carrier system they recommended and while they weren't the least expensive, Gerry was very knowledgable and frankly a nice guy, Jane at the office recognizes customers when they call in (versus being just a number at a call center) and Vince was great when we had a situation to discuss with him. Rene, our installer, was efficient, kept to himself and worked very cleanly and without one break. If there was a question about how something was to be done, he consulted with me, and even when I made a suggestion about a more difficult installation, he just said "ok" and did it, even though it wasn't the "easy" solution, but in the end, it looks much better and is more functional. That is why I chose them over any other HVAC company. If you want honesty and a great experience, then I recommend you call these guys. If you' want to just be "a number" and get sub-par service all while overpaying for the brand special of the month, then these aren't your guys. Thanks Vince, Gerry, Rene and Jane!! read more

I agree with Mark M. Vince and his team were really impressive. I called after hours tonight and stated that I had an emergency as my heater would not continue to blow hot air; it was cool air even though I saw flames in the furnace. Abel called me back within 5 mins. of placing my call to the after hours messaging center. The lady on the phone wasn't sure if someone would be able to help me until 7:30 the next morning. When Abel called he was able to figure out my furnace issue and walked me through how to address it over the phone. Such nerve-wrecking issues come from flame sensor issues! It just needed to be cleaned off a bit. I was comfortable with my safety as we chatted about every step I needed to take. Tonight my family will not freeze and I am so grateful. Vince called me to be sure my call was addressed. I told him that I overheard people at Home Depot talking very highly of his company tonight and I had to call them first. Both Vince and Abel were so helpful and kind to make sure an after hours new customer was taken care of. They've earned a new annual customer at the very least for furnace cleaning and check-ups! I highly recommend Active Air Plus for anyone in the Palatine area! They are honest and did not even charge me for the time they helped me over the phone tonight in my crisis situation. SO GRATEFUL! read more

Simple enough request.. My heater was blowing cold air. Called them up, quick enough service, they showed up that day. The repairman was nice, pleasant and knew what he was doing. Told me in 5 minutes that I had a bad ignitor. Asked the price and he told me 220$ for the part and that he had it in the truck... I told him to do it, simple enough. While he was there, I looked up the part. It's 17$. Do the math right there. I told him, hey, youre a nice guy but I need to show you this. Unfortunately he doesnt have the power to price, its the companies call. No problem with him still. He actually said that he was supposed to change for labor too but he wouldnt. So 95$ for them to come out, 220$ for the part + more for labor for a 17$ part I could have fixed myself. I would have been happy with the 95$ to show up, 50$ for the part and no extra labor because it literally took 20 minutes. Will not be calling you again OHC... You lose... read more

We needed to replace our downstairs central air conditioner, we picked Official Heating & Cooling because Bill Wojtko quoted us the best price and he was the only person that that really looked at our home and recommended the best unit versus just replacing what we had. The install went great. We also loved the free visit a couple of months after install from Eddie the tech to make sure our unit was working as it should. Great experience from all people we have come in contact with from Official. Would highly recommend! read more

Last December my furnace broke down overnight on Saturday. After I searched and read the reviews & rating from BBB, yelp and Angie's list, I called Active Air Plus. Gerry stop by shortly after I called. After a series of diagnostics, he found out the motor module board was dead and would cost a good fortune to repair. After I weighted on either repair or replace the old one, I decided to go for the new installation. He gave me a quote and the price is quite reasonable. He also waived the $100 diagnostics fees since I replaced the old one. Even they were short of installers on that day, the new furnace was up and running on the same day after about 4 hours. After about a week, they sent me all the paperwork to get the $300 rebate from NICOR. I called them again yesterday due to some minor issues related to the new furnace and Gerry stop by again and fixed it in no time without any charges. The efficient furnace is functioning well and keep me warm in this rough winter. When I look back, I was lucky my furnace broke down earlier before the -40 temp hit a week after. I waited for couple months to write this review since I would like to make sure everything is fine after the installation. Gerry is easy to work with and very knowledgeable as well as professional, and I highly recommend. read more

Excellence service! We purchased a central air conditioner, furnace, humidifier and air cleaner. Salesman was very courteous, accommodating and did things to make us happy that we did not request. Quality of the equipment and installation were excellent. Installers knew well what they were doing and were very courteous and efficient. They spent time with us to go over everything and answer all of our questions. They cleaned up after themselves and left the basement and outside in the same condition they found it in. We have found the company that we want to have inspect and service our heating and cooling equipment every year or when an unexpected problem may arise. The equipment they sell and the quality of the sales and installation service they provide is exceptional. We would recommend them in a blink of an eye. read more

Sunday was the hottest day of the year thus far, and my air conditioner died. I called 12 companies that were listed as 24/7, and only two companies responded. The first company did not show up. By the time I contacted Pete from Official, the first floor of my home was over 87 degrees, with my second floor over 90 degrees. Pete returned my call within 5 minutes of leaving a voicemail message. He said he would be over in an hour as he was coming from Antioch. He arrived on time, replaced the capacitor and added a little freon. In less than a half hour after Pete arrived, my home was already cooling down. I am very impressed with the prompt and professional service from Pete. Adam and Cheryl Kern, the owners of Official, should be very proud. Kudos to Official, my new heating and air conditioning service provider that is truly at 24/7 service company. THANK YOU! read more

Three years ago I had Official replace my furnace. Last January the furnace board went out. They refused to honor Carriers 5 year warranty because I didn't have THEM service it. Called Carrier, they stated warranty doesn't require any servicing at all. Can't get the owner to call me back.. one website suggests they changed ownership. ABSOLUTE HORRABLE SERVICE.. Many other options for heat / AC work. IF YOU CHOOSE THIS COMPANY, YOU WILL BE SORRY!!!!!!!!. IF YOU CHOOSE THIS COMPANY, YOU WILL BE SORRY!!!!!!!!. IF YOU CHOOSE THIS COMPANY, YOU WILL BE SORRY!!!!!!!!. read more

Love the new owners. They treated me fairly and gave me a better value then my other bids. Everything went smooth and the guy came back out to show me how to use the system. I would highly recommend them. read more

I decided to be proactive and have my furnace serviced before the cold weather set in. I have two furnaces- one that was installed two years ago, and another that is from 1999. First, the repair man made me nervous when he said he had started with them this past May. Second, the repair man indicated that I have very hard water (I live In Barrington Hills and have a well) and that the water from my humidifier leaked into my furnace and that a water damaged furnace was dangerous. Well. the next thing I knew a sales person came to my house (I was concerned when the call from the repair man to the sales person started with "a woman in Barrington Hills" ...) and for a mere $10,000+ I could have two new furnaces and an a/c unit. The second opinion came from another furnace company.. The water leak did not damage the motor of the furnace- The motor is contained in a plastic box. The second company was surprised to learn that Official "cleaned" the big furnace, and did nothing with the little furnace. The little (1999) furnace needed a new part ($500). The other review was written in 2009- a lot can happen in that time. Unfortunately, what happened at Official does not seem to be positive. read more

Tell Us About Your Problem: I received an estimate from Bill Wojiko for the replacement/repair of my central air conditioning unit. At the time of initial contact w/ Bill, he wanted to give me estimate on telephone. I requested an in person estimate and inspection for an "all in" repair/replacement of my ac unit. I told Bill during the call that I had a problem with AC pan leak that his service technician noticed during the spring inspection of ac. I also told Bill that the blower of my combined furnace/ac unit was replaced over the winter by their company since the leak in the ac blew the blower unit. I asked for an in person estimate so that there would be no hidden costs. He gave me a fixed cost "all in" estimate which I paid in full on the day of the order. Before paying, I asked him bluntly if this was an "all in cost:". He said yes. On the day of the ac repair, it was discovered that the ac /furnace blower was not working properly. The Ac installation technician did not install the blower. The technician called Bill about the situation. I spoke with Bill at that time. and reminded him of the "all in" price quote. He said that he would call his boss and call me back. I spoke to Bill again. He informed me that they were sending a technician over to look at the blower and repair and replace as necessary. When I asked if there would be a price for this, Bill said no, it would be free. That night service technician determined that blower was broken and needed to be replaced. After replacement, technician called me and asked if I wanted him to leave the blower at my house or take it with him. I said please take it. I was not informed there was any cost at this time. 2 weeks later, I received a bill in the mail requesting $515 for the blower. I called Bill, He said he didn't know why.. He recalled telling me that it would be free. On the bill, it stated this was the cost to dispose of the blower. I received a statement last week stating that my 10 year warranty will be void if no $ Desired Outcome: I called Mary DeFrancisco today in an attempt to resolve our differences. She said that they were not going to move on the issue. I informed her that In my opinion they will be in contract violation if they do not honor warranty. I would like them to take responsibility for the "all in price quote". I would like them to take responsibility for the blower replacement that Bill told me would be free. We did not have any separate contract or agreement regarding the blower replacement. I was told it was free. I would like the BBB to address with official heating and cooling I have filed complaints with the IL Attorney General and the BBB read more

I've had a couple of issues recently and had Official come out to my home. The first was an issue with my hot water heater. They had to replace a part and everything worked well. I had them look at my furnace humidifier which was a complete mess thanks to another local HVAC guy. He told me that the circuit board need to be replaced and that with parts and labor I'd be better off buying a new unit. I looked into the problem myself and turns out that the problem was the humidistat - a $50 part and SIMPLE to change out. These guys are totally incompetent!!!! Shortly after that the hot water heater started leaking. I called Official since they installed it and it was still under warranty. The woman that answered the phone could not understand that this was still under warranty and that all I would need to pay is labor. The replacement hot water heater should have been free. I called another HVAC and had no issues whatsoever! They came right out, replaced the unit, only charged labor which wasn't bad. I'm very disappointed in Official Heating and Cooling both in service as well as customer service. I would never use them again and would not recommend them to anyone but my worse enemy!!! read more