12 years prior had installed my water heater. A pipe was leaking from the water heater so I had them come and me a diagnostic. They told me that other pipes needed to be replaced being one option or that I needed an entire new water heater. The next week person came from Abt to give me an estimate for something else and took a look at it. They told me that the pipe that was leaking didn't even need to be been removed when the water heater was installed. All that needed to be done was that it removed. I called Gardner and told them that they needed to reverse the charges for the diagnostic because they lied. Another HVAC company came and removed the pipe for 1/10 of the cost that it taken me to follow through on their diagnostic. They did reverse me the charge of the diagnostic of $220. Liars. read more

Darren Gartner is still terrific, this time with our heating system. We called because of a loud "windy" sound that occasionally followed when the thermostat signaled a startup for the heat. Darren stopped by late the very same afternoon I called, researched the issue, and found that it was happening since we had programmed a high-output feature to maximize the heat delivered on startup, which lasts for several minutes until some "warm-up" occurs, then reverts to standard (and very quiet) maintenance airflow. His "rapid response" to our concern was very much appreciated, further evidence of the high quality of Gartner HVAC service! read more

We are pleased to say that the crew at Gartner was great to work with. Darren and his staff were very pleasant and patient with us. They answered all of our questions and returned our calls in a timely manner. The installation of our new systems were done on some of the hottest days this summer and they still showed up on time and got the job done. read more

My central air stopped working. Both the AC and furnace were installed by Gartner many years ago. It's very hot, and I wondered how many days I'd be without air. Things never fail at convenient times, do they? Unrelated, but I had (multiple) crises with a car the same day. It was just one of those days when everything goes wrong, so this was the last thing I needed to deal with. I called around 4:30 pm and told the person answering the phone that it wasn't an emergency, they could call me back the following day. 15 minutes later, Chris called. He asked a few questions, guessed as to the cause and offered to be right over (I'm in Skokie too, about a mile from their offices). Chris was at my house literally minutes later. And he over the phone diagnosis was spot on (fried capacitor). He had the right part on his truck, and in 15 - 20 minutes, the AC was restored. He also did some minor repairs to the furnace and duct work as part of the service call at no additional charge. I couldn't be more pleased. Gartner also did a replacement to my parent's furnace, a very complicated removal and install. Thank you Darren (the owner who didn't charge 'emergency service' rates) and Chris for his spot-on diagnosis and quick, efficient work that got my AC restored so quickly. Way to go guys, thanks! read more

Had a brand new unit installed in place of my old hail damaged unit. These guys came out in the middle of a day full of thunderstorms and got it done. Not only did they do it well but they also did it quickly and actually fixed small parts of my unit that they noticed needed a little attention. They changed out the whole condenser unit with a brand new one, all new electrical and disconnect, all new evaporator coil and new lines. Took care of my old unit and left the place cleaner than when they got there. I got 4 quotes and they had great pricing plus their reputation preceeded them. Would recommend 10/10! Great experience! read more

See all

Very professional and helpful. Attentive to my needs and handled it in a timely manner. Also clear they weren't trying to gouge me.

Always the best service, AND technology, experience, quality, parts, technicians, attention to customer needs, preferences, environments. Gartner provides top quality expertise at a reasonable price. And they are personable, friendly, and genuine teams. Gartner has earned my highest recommendation. read more

I had heating trouble called Gartner who charged $299 to show up and $6000 for a replacement part. So now we have heat thank you. Afterward I checked two different supply houses who have the part and will ship it to me next day $750. Not $6000 but $750. read more

Wanted to share my wonderful experience with Gartner. I called my usual HVAC company for a boiler service, I was years overdue and the boiler is really old so wasn't surprised they informed me the boiler was on it's last leg and becoming dangerous. Their estimate was the 2nd highest of the 4 estimates I received. With each estimate you learn a lot from the different people that come out, inspect and provide info. Darren the owner of Gartner was by far the most knowledgeable and least amount of upsell. He explained that even though the boiler was so old he could extensively clean it, extending it's life a bit longer, that was an option no one else gave me. Since the boiler was so old and with that is old wiring and other parts and it was only a matter of time before it died, I decided to go with new boiler install. Along with Darren thoroughly explaining my boiler options and new boiler details, Gartner's estimate was the most affordable too! When the work was done and he was showing me the new boiler and beautiful plumping work that came with that install he off handedly mentioned the air eliminator, I said - what? One of the other companies I got an estimate from charged extra for that! I noticed an additional outlet and asked about that and he humbly mentioned they do that at no extra charge so when they come to service/clean they don't have to unplug anything important to your household. Wow! Four guys came out to do the work with Darren and all were so nice and polite. The first guy to arrive was a bit early. While I went to open the basement door for him, he had shoveled the snow on the sidewalk leading to the basement by the time I got there! Couldn't be happier with the decision to hire Gartner to replace my 42 year old boiler! Thank you. Thank you. read more

Gartner Heating & Cooling - Heating & Air Conditioning/HVAC Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

See all

Our AC unit stopped working during the longest stretch of heat this summer. We had someone else come out to diagnose the issue and provided a quote which would've resulted in a brand new unit costing 5k. We needed another opinion and reached out to Darren Gartner. He has done work at other family homes and his work always comes with great reviews. Darren was super responsive and punctual. He took a look at the unit and discovered we didn't need a brand new AC but rather replacement of the compressor. We saved A TON of money getting a second opinion from Darren. He is now our first contact for all things Heating & AC related. He's an honest guy. read more

.Would you wish to get charged extra for no reason? Service rep me charged me a service call fee on visit. Stated specifically when the new part is installed the next day, only new charge would be for new part. Service rep didn't' even know part was still under manuf warranty, until I mentioned it to him, especially with them being the original sales/installing contractor. Once serv rep called office to confirm new part still under warranty, they decided to magically charge me another extra service fee. Hmm? , My guess is since they weren't going to get paid much from the manufacturer, they needed to charge the customer extra. I'm sure all customers will agree, that wasn't good business, considering they'll never get my future furnace, a/c, or hot water heater service/replacement business in the future. All that for an extra service fee? read more

Great company. We purchased two new air conditioning units from Gartner. The price was very fair. They were installed quickly and very well. They had to reroute some of our duct work, too. The best part, though....the unit for the top floor didn't seem to be working very well, so we called and the owner came out to take a look. Turns out, because it's been so hot, we had a dirty filter earlier than expected and a dirty air conditioner. Oops. Everything was fixed, got some great explanations, and even though I felt a little ignorant, I was never made to feel like a dummy. That's pretty great, and also pretty rare. We'll be calling Gartner any time we need any heating or cooling work done. I can't recommend them enough!! read more

Best HVAC place ever. Service is done by knowledgeable techs. They explain all. From the appointment setter to owner, Top notch services. Thanks Jim Shields read more

I admit that I did not have any service done by Gartner HVAC. This may sound odd, but I will explain. I called Gartner this morning looking for help to restore heat to my building. They found room in their schedule but not until late in the day. I took the appointment but was freezing. In the meantime, another company that I had left a message with earlier in day called back with a technician available right away. I called Gartner back to ask if it was a lot of trouble to cancel since I had another company ready for an immediate repair. I was pleasantly surprised how empathetic they were to my situation. The person I spoke to on the phone was very understanding of the situation and did not give me any grief for the cancellation. Because of this, I will definitely call Gartner again the next time I need maintenance on my boiler to make sure they get some of my business. Thank you Gartner! read more

Darren really came through for us!! He replaced our blower after-hours on a Friday night. It was so hot in our condo that my husband and I would have probably killed each other without his intervention. Thank you Darren!! And sorry that I was cranky!!! You are a star!!! read more

It's been 3 weeks they keep telling me Monday is going to come someone this is completely unprofessional I called the dispatch and they told me that they had a big job with some pipes so that's why all the technicians were busy in my business heating it's super important for the health of people so if you want to use this company make sure you call at least a month in advance. read more

Everyone should be as passionate about their work as Michael is about HVAC! The guy is incredible -- he is excited about solving problems and explaining the options to you. We had Gartner out this fall when our boiler died and they were efficient, quick to replace it before the weather got cold, and were cost effective. A day or two later we were having problems and they came out right away and immediately diagnosed that we were using the wrong filter (got sucked in by company promising filters to protect us from Covid, but they were more like bricks than filters, and so air couldn't flow through). When our radiant heat stopped working, Michael was there the next day, diagnosed some issues with our pump, and made every effort to save us a costly new pump. He even told us that if the fixes he made didn't work past a couple of days, they would put in a new pump and credit us back the cost of the fixes he tried. More than fair and much appreciated. Gartner is the best! read more

Had these guys out for a spring tune up purchased through Groupon. They ran and "diagnosed" the A/C system, managed to get the compressor to shut down (probably due to the evaporator anti-frost sensor detecting freezing temperatures) and then stated that the system had a leak - which urgently needed $3000 to $5000 of work to ensure correct operation during the upcoming summer months. I elected not to do this work and to see how it would operate when it was hot out. It is now October. After one of the hottest summers on record, running pretty much 24/7 and with no additional work done, the system is still cooling properly. So, was their service call a complete misdiagnosis or deliberate attempt to drum up unneeded work? Either way, not a good experience. read more

My experience with Darren, Tom and Tim from Gartner was nothing like the poor reviews listed here. We had a difficult job that other companies refused to take or bid so high they knew we wouldn't go for them - in order to avoid the job. Darren came out twice to assess and plan the job to reassure us that his price was solid. We were happy because his price was very fair. When the day came, his crew of 3 men completed the job in 2 days rather than the 3 that was scheduled. The work was clean, professional and we couldn't be happier. The team's customer service and communication skills with us exceeded our expectations. All in all, I would definitely recommend Gartner Heating to family and friends - without hesitation. read more

Gartner HVAC installed a new boiler in our home last year. We also replaced a couple radiators and extended a line into a three season room. The service experience was positive and the company held true to its proposal. We had an issue with one zone that refused to shut off when the desired temperature was reached. Darren, the owner of the company, diagnosed and problem and fixed the issue by replacing a small section of thermostat wire. This solved the issue! The unit keeps our home very cozy! I found working with Darren and the company very easy. I highly recommend Gartner HVAC. read more

This company does quality work, are thorough, and do a great job of explaining warranties and how all the equipment works. The installation crew cleaned up well after the installation, and were courteous and polite. The office staff was very helpful with scheduling. Support a local business! read more

These guys are top notch!!! I had a water heater leak and I called them they came out ASAP. The Tech who came to my was so professional. These guys fixed me up without a hiccup. They didn't try up selling me. Very clean very nice!!! The owner followed up the next day making sure everything was done to his standards. If you need HVAC work done at your home or business call Gartner Heating and Cooling... read more

Gartner was great!!! They replaced my ac with no issues at all. After getting 3 different price quotes Gartner was the most fair and it was installed promptly within the next week! Saw some other review on this and I have to disagree! And yes the do have three complaints to the bbb but when u deal with let's say 2000 customers a year you might have a few complaints that's just business! They were wonderful and I will use them again and recommend then to all my family and friends!!! read more

I'm so sorry to see these negative reviews for Gartner -- they certainly don't reflect our experience. We've used Gartner for two major projects and interim maintenance. When we needed to address some major heating/cooling issues in our 1915 house, Darren Gartner was the first and only HVAC contractor (our of the 5 we spoke with) to offer us an alternative to doing extensive (and expensive) work to fix our system, intead suggesting that we add a seprate second-floor zone and then making it work in an impossibly small attic space. We subsequently used Gartner to install a permanent generator. Throughout every project they've done for us, every member of the crew was timely, pleasant, obviously highly competent, and extremely hard working. In addition, they took tremendous care with our house, were great with our pets, and managed to be quiet and clean on top of it. For major projects, Darren has checked in with us afterwards to make sure we were satisfied, and the company continues to be very responsive. read more

I called on Friday and they came out Tuesday to clean and recharge my condenser/ space pac.. Everything is running great and cooling the house down. My experience with Gartner has been good and I recommend working with this family run/ local HVAC business. Twelve years ago they installed a boiler in my home and I haven't had any problems. The price for the boiler was better than other install bids I received. read more

I had an annual checkup on my furnace. The technician was great and explained everything about my system.I had made the appointment several weeks ahead of time for a tightly scheduled day. The tech was several hours late and apologized for it. Otherwise they get five stars. read more

I have had the opportunity to meet several people from Gartner, and they are all absolutely wonderful. The owner, Darren, has personally come to my house to assess and fix issues and he is the most honest man I've met. My entire HVAC system was down and needed all new EVERYTHING. Three awesome guys (with their masks on!) came to my house and spent the day getting everything ready and working. They were kind, personable and professional, and when I had further questions they quickly and thoroughly responded over the phone and with a visit to my house within an hour. One of the hardest parts about hiring people to fix things like this is that I really don't have knowledge of the process and I don't know what to ask, so I often feel taken advantage of. I have never felt that way with Gartner. They took the time to explain everything in a way that I could understand. Cheryl answers the phones and she is AWESOME! I think I've spoken to her more than my own family over the past few weeks and she has been great. I would highly recommend Gartner HVAC to anyone. I always find them to be honest, kind, professional and great at what they do. Supporting family-owned businesses is so important, and Gartner is the reason people love a neighborhood business. They feel liken they are your neighbors helping you out. Support this stellar family-owned business the next time you need help! read more

This used to be a fantastic company. We used them for 11 years. In the past year they have no showed, rescheduled, arrived 3 hours late and sent inexperienced techs. Today after yet another no show last weekend and then being told they would be 2.5 hours late for today's rescheduled appt I asked them for a refund on my annual maintenance contract. read more

I use them all the time, home as well as at work. I am the facilities manager at the company I work for and I refuse to use any other company but them. We have had many issues with our air/heat due to our building being older, they come as soon as they can and actually fix the problem the first time. I have never had to call them back for the same problem. Everyone is extremely nice and respectful of the employees working. I would recommend Gartenr to anyone. read more

If you'd like to be blown off a zillion times after making appointments and if you'd like ZERO customer service after an installation, then this place is for you. They have zero respect for homeowners, especially females, who call them for service and/or estimates. read more

Darren is honest and extremely knowledgeable about the HVAC business. He has assembled an exceptional crew. I use them for both my home and my industrial buildings. read more

I called in a no heat and setup a service call. But the person answering the phone suggested that I remove and clean the filter (mine are not disposable). He said the likely cause would be lack of air to the furnace. I did just that and much to my amazement, the issue was resolved. So happy that a company would rather offer a simple cure for free rather than charge a customer for the service. I will be using them going forward! read more

Gartner installed a new high efficiency furnace with dual zones for my two flat. It seemed to work at first but there was this crazy knocking noise constantly coming from the new furnace as soon as it came on. It sounded like there was someone in the basement pounding on the pipes. After several service calls with Gartner they came out and replaced the furnace free of charge since the unit seemed to be a lemon. I was pleased that they handled it with such professionalism. I am going to get an estimate for an AC system from them since I was pleased with their service. read more

Saw this company on a news special about reliable service. Figured what better review than the news station. I am so glad I called them first. They came out to replace a hot water tank, ended up I didn't need a new unit just a $40 part. Having them back to service and clean my furnace. read more

So here is my update. I was contacted by the owner Darren the day after I posted this review. He knew exactly who I was and had my cell number on file. Needless to say, he was not happy with my review because he was worried how this would reflect on his company and what his customers would think. He stated that he was up all night upset about this and how he prides himself on serving our community. That's great, but how does that help our situation?? He did apologize for the lack of communication between the technicians and himself. However, no offer of a refund was extended or offer to try and come back out to fix the original issue. Even if I would not have accepted the offer, I feel that he should have at least extended one. His last words to me were "If there is anything we can do for you in the FUTURE please call us". My response was "No Thank You". To be honest, I was going to take this review down but in the interim someone by the name of Steve G left me a message on this page telling me that I should get my facts straight before posting a review. What? I know what happened. We were out of $425 and an airconditioner that still was not working. I would like to remind them that it is my right as a consumer to post any and all comments about the service WE received. This is my personal opinion of this company. By the way, the only fact that I did not get straight was the second technicians name. I stand corrected. Other than that one error I still stand by my previous review. I would NOT recommend them to anyone due to the terrible customer service WE received. I can tell you that I did call another local company who was able to repair the issue asap and at half the price. Lose my number. read more