2026 Nicor Gas and ComEd Heating Rebates, Explained

Updated November 2026 · 7 min read

If you're replacing a furnace, boiler or thermostat in Park Ridge, IL this year, utility rebates can take a little off the bill. They won't pay for a furnace, and the rules change every year, but they are worth claiming. This guide lays out what Nicor Gas lists for 2026, what we can and can't confirm about ComEd, and the help available through CEDA if money is the real obstacle.

Who can use the Nicor Gas program

Nicor Gas's filed service-territory list includes Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Niles, Norridge, Harwood Heights, Glenview, Skokie, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Rosemont, Schiller Park and Elmwood Park. If your gas bill comes from Nicor Gas, the program is likely the one that applies to you. If it comes from another utility, Nicor's rebates won't.

Edison Park and Norwood Park are in the City of Chicago, where Peoples Gas delivers gas. Nicor's program does not cover those homes; check with Peoples Gas about any program it offers.

Naming these utilities here does not mean any affiliation. Park Ridge Furnace Repair is not connected to Nicor Gas, ComEd or Peoples Gas.

What Nicor Gas lists for 2026

Nicor Gas's residential fact sheet says its rebates are "Available from January 1-December 31, 2026." The heating-related items:

• Furnace, 95% AFUE: $150.
• Furnace, 97% AFUE: $225.
• Boiler, 95% AFUE or higher: $350.
• Combination boiler (boiler with built-in domestic hot water): $500.
• Smart thermostat (qualifying ENERGY STAR models): $25, limit one per account.
• Bundle bonus: "an extra $25 when you apply for both a smart thermostat and furnace rebate on the same application."
• Water heaters meeting the listed efficiency levels: $150.
• Air sealing, insulation and duct sealing: $150–$4,850, through a program-approved contractor as an instant discount only.

The sheet notes the program is "Funded by Nicor Gas customers in compliance with state law."

You'll find other figures online. Some third-party pages list larger furnace or thermostat rebates, and at least one distributor sheet shows a different 95% AFUE amount. We went by Nicor Gas's own fact sheet. If a quote counts on a rebate, confirm the amount on nicorgas.com before you sign.

Instant discount or mail-in?

Nicor says that when you work with a member of its Contractor Circle network, you can receive the rebate as an instant discount on the invoice. Nicor lists about 400 such contractors at nicorgas.com/findacontractor. Otherwise you apply for the rebate yourself after the install. Either way, the paperwork depends on the right details being on the invoice, so ask about it before work starts.

1. Check the model before you buy

   Ask each company for the exact model number and its AFUE rating in the written estimate. A 95% and a 97% furnace can look alike on a quote.

2. Ask who files

   Find out whether the company applies the rebate as an instant discount or whether you file it. Get the answer in writing.

3. Keep the invoice

   An itemized invoice with the model and serial number, install date and your service address makes the application simpler.

4. Mind the calendar

   The 2026 program runs through December 31, 2026. If an install slips into January, ask the company which year's rules apply.

5. Bundle the thermostat

   If you're adding a smart thermostat with a new furnace, apply for both on one application to get the extra $25.

ComEd: heat pumps and thermostats

ComEd delivers electricity across Park Ridge and every town around it. ComEd offers rebates on some heating equipment such as heat pumps and smart thermostats; check comed.com for current amounts. We could not confirm ComEd's 2026 figures on its own pages, so we are not printing numbers. If you're weighing a heat pump or a dual-fuel system, ask each company which ComEd offers apply to the equipment it is quoting, and check them yourself. The heat pump vs. furnace guide explains how those systems work here.

A smart thermostat may be eligible under both utilities' programs. Read each program's terms before you assume both apply to the same device. The smart thermostat installation page covers compatibility.

No federal tax credit for 2026 installs

The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit used to cover qualifying furnaces, boilers and heat pumps. It does not apply to equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. If a sales pitch for a 2026 install mentions a federal heating credit, ask for the details in writing and check them with a tax professional.

If cost is the real problem: CEDA and winter protections

Cook County households can apply for LIHEAP through CEDA (800-571-2332). CEDA also offers furnace repair or replacement vouchers to eligible homeowners whose heat is out or red-tagged. For the 2026–2027 season, CEDA says programs resume October 1, 2026, with a priority period for households that include someone 60 or older, a person with a disability, a child 5 or under, or a home that is disconnected or at risk. Open enrollment starts November 1, and applications run through August 13, 2027, or until funds run out. CEDA says "The programs are free."

The furnace assistance requires an approved LIHEAP application and applies to single-family homes, condos, mobile homes and buildings of four units or fewer. Eligibility depends on income and other rules, so apply and let CEDA decide.

From December 1 to March 31, Illinois limits utility shutoffs for customers who heat with gas or electric. That rule covers disconnection for nonpayment; it doesn't fix a broken furnace, but it can buy time to sort out the bill.

Rebates shouldn't drive the decision

A $150 or $225 rebate is helpful, not decisive. The bigger questions are whether the furnace is worth repairing, whether it is sized correctly, and whether the install includes a permit and a written contract. Park Ridge's permit fee schedule lists a permit for furnace and boiler replacement. Your contractor confirms and pulls it with the City (847-318-5291). In Illinois, a home repair contractor must give you a written contract before starting work over $1,000, plus the state pamphlet "Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights."

Published national estimates put a furnace replacement at $2,000–$5,400 (avg ≈ $3,700) and a high-efficiency furnace replacement at $3,300–$10,000 (HomeGuide, as listed when checked in November 2026). These are not quotes. See the Park Ridge furnace cost guide for more ranges and a calculator, the furnace replacement page for AFUE choices, and the boiler page if your home has radiators.

Frequently asked questions

Park Ridge Furnace Repair is a free quote service, not a heating company. You describe the problem once, and independent heating companies serving Park Ridge, IL and nearby suburbs may reply with quotes. Companies may pay to receive requests or calls. Companies reply on their own schedules; in a no-heat emergency, also call a company directly. Request free quotes or call (877) 265-2390 to be connected with a local heating company.