Which trade to call

Licenses tell you who is allowed to do the work. In Chicago, a licensed general contractor is not required for a single-trade project done by a Chicago-licensed trade contractor, such as electrical repair by a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor. A general contractor can hire subcontractors, such as a plumber or electrician, for some parts of a job. A contractor who has only a home repair license can do the work himself but cannot hire others. Home Repair licensees may not pull building permits. A General Contractor license is required instead of a Home Repair license if the work needs a building permit. So for a job that crosses trades, ask who will do each part.

Some materials have their own specialists. Illinois requires all contractors who conduct asbestos abatement projects to be insured and licensed. The asbestos and lead page explains where these materials turn up around old heating equipment.

Source: City of Chicago · Illinois Department of Public Health

Plumbing has its own license in Chicago. A City of Chicago plumbing contractor license is required to install, alter, repair or maintain any plumbing piping, system or appliance in the city, except minor plumbing repairs by a person on their own property. The license is not required for the owner, occupant or lessee of a detached single-family home to personally install, alter or repair that home's plumbing system. A business must file a $20,000.00 performance bond with the City Clerk before it can get a plumbing contractor license. Plumber licenses from the Illinois Department of Public Health are also recognized in Chicago, as long as the plumber's employer has a City of Chicago plumbing contractor license.

The state explains why the rules are strict. The Illinois Department of Public Health says improper plumbing can bring disease-causing organisms into drinking water and let toxic gases escape into the environment. All advertisements for plumbing services must include the plumbing license number. That number is an easy first check. Water heaters sit close to both trades: Illinois's mechanical code requires water heaters and hot water storage tanks to be listed and labeled and installed following the manufacturer's instructions, the International Plumbing Code and the mechanical code.

Source: City of Chicago · Illinois Department of Public Health · UpCodes (code text)

Wiring is another licensed trade. A City of Chicago electrical contractor license is required to install, alter or maintain any wiring or equipment regulated by the Chicago Electrical Code. A licensed electrical contractor is required for all electrical work that needs a building permit in Chicago. To get that license, a business must employ at least one licensed supervising electrician. The Consumer Product Safety Commission lists dimming lights and frequent circuit breaker trips or blown fuses among the telltale signs of electrical problems. Signs like these are a question for an electrician.

Source: City of Chicago · U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Rooftop units and roofs meet at the same seams. Under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, no roofing or waterproofing work may be done except by a roofing contractor or qualifying party licensed or credentialed under the Act. The Act's roof system includes covering, framing, insulation, sheathing, ventilation, sealing, waterproofing, weatherproofing, related architectural sheet metal work and roof coatings. That is worth knowing if water comes in around equipment on your roof. In Chicago, a contractor doing reroofing work through the Express Permit Program must have a valid Illinois roofing contractor license. Chicago requires a building permit for any structural repair and any work on low-slope roofs.

Chimneys sit between trades too. The CPSC noted that chimneys and flues are not normally checked by heating contractors, and that you should ask them to include the venting system in their inspection. It also said a chimney sweep should be called to clean the chimney if the fall inspection finds soot built up on the chimney walls. The venting and chimneys page explains why this matters.

Source: Illinois General Assembly · City of Chicago · U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Mold is a moisture problem first. The EPA says the key to mold control is moisture control. If there has been a lot of water damage, or mold covers more than 10 square feet, the EPA points to its guide Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. If you choose to hire a contractor for the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold.

Mold work has few official credentials so far. Illinois's mold remediation registration requirements will not take effect until the state adopts its rules, and until then mold remediation professionals are not required to register with the Illinois Department of Public Health. The EPA has no certification program for mold inspectors or mold remediation firms. Where mold reaches your heating and cooling, the EPA says wet or visibly moldy insulation should be removed and replaced by a qualified heating and cooling system contractor.

Source: U.S. EPA · Illinois Department of Public Health

Gas service is split between the utility and the building owner. In Chicago, Peoples Gas owns and is responsible for maintaining the gas lines that deliver gas to the meter at your building, whether the meter is outside or inside. Customers are responsible for the pipes that leave the meter and serve the gas appliances throughout their property. Where a meter is three feet or more from the building, Peoples Gas monitors the piping from the meter to the outside wall for corrosion and leaks, but the pipes still belong to the home and repairs are the owner's responsibility.

Pipes you own need a qualified contractor. Peoples Gas says buried piping can corrode or deteriorate over time, and that all customer-owned buried gas piping should be inspected periodically by a qualified contractor. If you have underground gas lines from your meter to outdoor appliances such as a pool heater, grill or gas lamp, it advises having a qualified contractor locate and mark them. The gas safety page covers what to do about a gas smell.

Source: Peoples Gas