Schaumburg grew up fast around Woodfield Mall, which opened in 1971, and the I-90 corridor that followed it. The result is one of the densest concentrations of commercial floor space in the suburbs: big-box and mall retail, restaurant rows, hotels around the convention center, and office buildings from every decade since the 1970s.
That mix shows up on the roof. A single Schaumburg block can hold a row of packaged rooftop units on a strip center, a chilled-water plant in a mid-rise office building, and walk-in coolers behind every restaurant. Each one fails differently, and each one needs a different conversation about repair, replacement and maintenance.
LOC-01Schaumburg · Cook County
What we see on Schaumburg rooftops
- 01
Aging rooftop units
Strip centers and pad sites from the 1980s and 1990s, many on their second or third generation of RTUs, with economizers that stopped working years ago.
- 02
Office buildings with VAV systems
Hot and cold zone complaints after a tenant build-out, where the VAV boxes and controls no longer match the floor plan.
- 03
Restaurant exhaust and make-up air
Hoods that won’t pull, kitchens that fill with smoke and doors that are hard to open, usually a fan or a make-up air unit out of balance.
- 04
Walk-ins behind the dining room
Coolers and freezers that ice up or run warm, where every hour of downtime is product in the dumpster.
NOTELocal notes
Good to know in Schaumburg.
Utilities
ComEd supplies electricity and Nicor Gas supplies natural gas across Schaumburg. Gas meter and service questions go to Nicor; power outages go to ComEd.
Permits
Equipment replacements and new mechanical work generally need a permit from the Village of Schaumburg. We’ll tell you up front when a job needs one.
Weather
Sub-zero January cold and humid July afternoons, sometimes in the same year’s budget. Freeze protection and summer capacity both matter here.
Q&AQuestions
Schaumburg commercial HVAC questions.
Answers specific to Schaumburg. For more, see all 36 commercial HVAC questions.
Gas smell? Leave the building, don’t touch switches, and call the gas utility or 911 from outside. CO alarm? Get everyone out and call 911. No heat in freezing weather? Call us, and never use ovens or grills indoors for heat.
Does Velocity HVAC-R serve commercial buildings in Schaumburg?
Yes. Velocity HVAC-R is based in Schaumburg and works on commercial and industrial buildings throughout the village, from retail and restaurants near Woodfield to office buildings along I-90 and industrial and flex space.
We don’t do residential work. Call 630-439-5958 to describe your building and equipment.
Do I need a permit to replace a rooftop unit in Schaumburg?
Usually, yes. Replacing heating and cooling equipment, adding units or changing ductwork in a commercial building generally needs a permit from the Village of Schaumburg, and crane lifts may need their own approvals.
Requirements can change, so we confirm them with the village for each job and build the permit into the schedule.
Why do restaurants near Woodfield have so many exhaust and make-up air problems?
Because kitchen exhaust and make-up air have to stay in balance, and they work hard. When an exhaust fan belt slips or a make-up air unit stops heating in winter, the kitchen goes negative: smoke rolls out of the hood, doors are hard to open and cold air pours in.
The fix is usually mechanical, not a new hood: a fan, a belt, a motor, a burner or the controls that tie the two together.
Who supplies gas and electricity to businesses in Schaumburg?
ComEd supplies electricity and Nicor Gas supplies natural gas in Schaumburg. Your utility bills show which accounts you have.
If you smell gas, leave the building and call Nicor Gas or 911 from outside. Don’t operate switches or equipment on the way out.
