Rooms that never get warm enough, an AC that runs constantly without cooling the back bedroom, energy bills climbing every season — most of the time the problem isn't the furnace or the condenser. It's the ductwork. Ultimate HVAC Inc. installs and repairs residential and light commercial duct systems throughout Skokie, IL, with same-day service, 24/7 availability, and transparent pricing. When your air isn't moving the way it should, we find out why and fix it right.
What ductwork installation and repair involves
Ductwork is the network of sheet-metal trunks, flexible runs, boots, registers, and return grilles that carries conditioned air from your furnace or air handler to every room in your home. When it's designed and sealed correctly, you barely notice it. When it isn't, you feel every hot and cold spot in the house.
Repair work usually starts with a static-pressure reading and a visual inspection of accessible runs in the attic, basement, or crawlspace. We look for crushed flex duct, disconnected joints at the plenum or boots, gaps at seams, missing insulation on runs in unconditioned spaces, and undersized returns that starve the blower. Sealing is done with mastic and UL-181 foil tape rather than cloth duct tape, which fails within a few years.
New installation is a bigger project. We measure each room's cooling and heating load, size the trunk and branches to match, plan the return path, and fabricate or cut rigid metal and insulated flex to fit. A typical job in a Skokie bungalow or split-level takes one to three days depending on access and scope.
Why Ultimate HVAC Inc. for ductwork in Skokie
- Same-day service on duct repair calls when you reach us early enough in the day
- 24/7 availability — including nights, weekends, and emergency calls
- Transparent pricing, quoted before work starts, no surprise add-ons at the end
- Mastic-and-mesh sealing at joints rather than cloth tape that peels off in a year
- Full duct systems designed around your actual room loads, not a copy of whatever was there before
- One shop handling ductwork, AC and furnace installation, and boiler work — so the duct system and the equipment are matched, not fighting each other
Our ductwork process
- Phone intake. Tell us what you're noticing — rooms that don't heat, whistling registers, visible damage — and we book a visit, often same day.
- On-site assessment. We inspect accessible ductwork, take static-pressure and airflow readings at the registers, and identify leaks, restrictions, and undersized sections.
- Written quote. You get a line-item estimate covering materials, labor, and scope. If it's repair versus full replacement, we lay out both options honestly.
- Scheduling. Small repairs are often finished the same visit. Larger installs get scheduled around your availability.
- Installation or repair. Runs are cut, hung, sealed with mastic, and insulated where they pass through unconditioned space. Registers and returns are reset and balanced.
- Testing and balancing. We re-measure static pressure and airflow room by room and adjust dampers so the system delivers what it was designed to deliver.
- Walkthrough. We show you what changed, what to watch for, and answer any questions before we leave.
What ductwork typically costs
Ductwork pricing varies more than almost any other HVAC service because no two houses are built the same. A short repair — resealing a disconnected boot in the basement or patching a crushed flex run in the attic — is on the low end. A full duct replacement in a two-story home with finished ceilings sits much higher because of access and drywall work.
The biggest cost drivers are: total linear footage of new duct, accessibility (open basement versus finished ceilings), how much rigid metal versus flex the design calls for, whether returns need to be added or resized, and insulation requirements for attic or crawlspace runs. Estimates always include materials, sealing, insulation, and cleanup. They do not include drywall patching or paint unless specifically added.
We quote every job in writing before we start. Call Ultimate HVAC Inc. for a free on-site estimate in Skokie.
Service areas we cover
- Skokie
- Evanston
- Lincolnwood
- Morton Grove
- Niles
- Wilmette
- Glenview
- Park Ridge
- Chicago (north side neighborhoods)
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I need duct repair or full replacement?
If leakage is localized to a few joints or one damaged run, repair is usually the right call. If the system is undersized, poorly routed, or leaking at dozens of points, replacement pays for itself faster in comfort and energy use. We'll show you the readings and let you decide.
Will you need to open walls or ceilings?
Not always. In most Skokie homes with unfinished basements and accessible attics, we can do the majority of the work without touching drywall. When wall access is unavoidable, we tell you before we cut.
How long does a duct replacement take?
A typical single-family home takes one to three working days. Larger homes or projects that include a new furnace or AC can run longer. You'll have heating and cooling restored by the end of each work day whenever possible.
Can bad ductwork really raise my energy bills?
Yes — significantly. Leaky ducts in an attic or crawlspace dump conditioned air into space you're not using, forcing your equipment to run longer. Sealing and insulating existing duct is often the highest-return HVAC improvement in an older Skokie home.
Do you handle the furnace or AC at the same time?
We do. Ultimate HVAC Inc. also handles AC and furnace installation and boiler work, so if the equipment and the duct system both need attention, one crew can do both and make sure they're properly matched.
Are you available after hours?
Yes. We're open 24/7, Monday through Sunday, including emergency calls.
Ready to fix the rooms that never feel right? Call Ultimate HVAC Inc. at +17734942052 for a free ductwork estimate in Skokie. Same-day service when you catch us early, 24/7 availability, and a written quote before any work starts.