Open 7 days, 7am–9pm

Serving Minneapolis, Saint Paul & 50 miles around

$79 trip charge, waived when you approve the repair Tune-ups from $129
612-429-3465 Request Service

Heating & Cooling in Forest Lake, MN

Central Minnesota Heating and Cooling repairs and replaces furnaces, ACs, heat pumps and boilers in Forest Lake (Washington County), about 25 miles from downtown Minneapolis.

612-429-3465

Request Service

We'll get back to you about this request only. Rather talk now? Call 612-429-3465.

HVAC service in Forest Lake, MN

Forest Lake annexed its surrounding township in 2001 and now spans a railroad-era downtown, lake cabins and rural acreage. Some of those rural homes still heat with propane.

County
Washington County
ZIP code
55025
Natural gas
Xcel Energy
Electric
Xcel Energy
From downtown Minneapolis
about 25 miles

Updated October 27, 2026 · By , owner, Central Minnesota Heating and Cooling

Map of Forest Lake, MNOpen in Google Maps

What heating systems do Forest Lake homes have?

The older streets near downtown have early-1900s houses. Around the lake, cabins that were winterized and added onto over the years sit beside large newer homes. The 2001 annexation plus a run of new subdivisions took the population from under 7,000 in 2000 to more than 18,000 in 2010. Out on the former township land, homes on acreage often have propane furnaces, sometimes with electric or wood heat as backup.

In town and in most subdivisions, natural gas comes from Xcel Energy; rural addresses in the old township area often run on propane or electric heat.

Technician with a flashlight checking the circuit breaker panel in a home's garage

What HVAC work do we do most in Forest Lake?

  • Propane furnace replacements and dual-fuel heat pump setups on acreage homes
  • Year-round heating plans for lake cabins that were winterized a piece at a time
  • Propane-to-natural-gas furnace and water heater conversions once gas reaches the road
  • Air cleaners and humidity control in newer, tighter subdivision homes

Around town: Forest Lake · Clear Lake · Interstate 35 · Minnesota Highway 97 · Downtown Forest Lake

Book in Forest Lake

What are Forest Lake homes like to heat and cool?

Forest Lake began in 1868 as a stop on the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad and grew into one of the Upper Midwest's summer resort areas. Many lakeshore cottages went up between 1910 and 1930, and cabin resorts followed in the 1930s and 40s. The cottages that survive have usually been winterized and enlarged in stages, often over a crawlspace, with additions at different floor heights and little room for ducts. The oldest houses in town stand near the old downtown, with chimneys that have served coal and then gas.

The 2001 annexation of Forest Lake Township brought in miles of rural land, where houses on acreage range from 1970s ramblers to new custom homes, many on private wells and septic and some heated with propane. In town, the 2000s added subdivisions of two-stories and walkouts on natural gas, tight houses with condensing furnaces and air exchangers.

What goes wrong with heating in Forest Lake in winter?

Lake cabins winterized in stages are the classic Forest Lake winter problem: crawlspaces where water lines and ducts freeze, and additions that never got a proper heat run. On rural acreage, propane deliveries depend on a plowed driveway and a tank kept well above empty before a cold stretch. Wind across the frozen lake also drifts snow onto lakeside vents and outdoor units, so check them after every storm.

Furnace repair in Forest Lake

What goes wrong with cooling in Forest Lake in summer?

Lake homes deal with humidity all summer, and a cabin over a crawlspace can pull damp air up into the living space. Shoreline trees load condenser coils with seeds and pollen by early summer. Newer subdivision homes are tight, and when the air exchanger is off or out of balance they feel stuffy on muggy days even with the AC running. Many older cabins never had central air, and a ductless heat pump is often the simplest way to add it.

AC repair in Forest Lake

Which utilities and rebates apply in Forest Lake?

For a home moving off propane, look at Xcel's Make the Switch to Natural Gas program along with its heating equipment rebates for high-efficiency gas furnaces. Xcel's heat pump rebates, which can also help a propane home adding a heat pump, run through its Trade Partner Network, so ask whether the rebate needs a registered contractor. Minnesota's HEAR and HOMES rebates had not launched as of mid-2026.

Rebate programs change every year; check the utility's current terms before you buy. Our guides: Xcel and CenterPoint rebates, heat pump rebates, what happened to the federal credits.

Most-requested in Forest Lake

Furnace repair in Forest Lake Crawlspace furnaces around the lake run condensate lines through cold space, where they can freeze on the coldest nights. Furnace replacement in Forest Lake We replace furnaces in Forest Lake for $4,500–$9,500 installed, with a written flat-rate quote sized by Manual J. AC repair in Forest Lake Lake places that sit closed all winter often wake up with ants or mice in the outdoor unit. AC replacement in Forest Lake Central air for a Forest Lake house, from downtown to the lake places, runs $5,200–$9,800 installed with us. Heat pumps in Forest Lake A heat pump installed in a Forest Lake home runs about $7,500–$14,500, flat-rate, often dual fuel with a propane furnace on acreage. Mini-splits in Forest Lake Ductless mini-splits in Forest Lake cost about $4,200–$12,500 installed, from one head to several zones, with a written flat-rate quote. Tune-ups in Forest Lake In Forest Lake, one furnace or one AC tune-up costs $129, and doing both in the same visit is $219, with a CO check on furnaces.

More HVAC services we offer

Furnace Heating Boiler Heating Air Conditioning Air Quality Whole-Home Humidifiers Whole-Home Dehumidifiers Air Purification HRV / ERV Ventilation Smart Thermostats Commercial HVAC

Forest Lake HVAC questions

Who repairs furnaces and air conditioners in Forest Lake, MN?

Central Minnesota Heating and Cooling, owned by Eric Brown and in business since 2009, serves Forest Lake and nearby towns in Washington County, about 25 miles from downtown Minneapolis. We're open 7 days, 7am–9pm, and no-heat calls get priority. Call 612-429-3465.

How much does an HVAC service call cost in Forest Lake?

An HVAC service call in Forest Lake is a flat $79 trip charge, waived when you approve the repair. You get a written price before any work. Installed prices are on our pricing page.

Xcel is bringing gas down our road in Forest Lake. Is switching from propane worth it?

For most houses, yes, though the timing depends on your equipment. Xcel runs the service line and sets the meter, which the utility prices separately. Then the furnace, water heater and any other gas appliances need conversion kits or replacement, since propane and natural gas run at different pressures and orifice sizes. If the propane furnace is near the end of its life, replacing it at the same time usually beats converting it.

Can our Forest Lake lake cabin be heated year-round?

Most can, but a cabin winterized a piece at a time needs a look first. We check whether the crawlspace or slab is insulated, where the water lines run and whether any ductwork exists. A small furnace works if there's room for it and for ducts; otherwise ductless heat pumps with a backup heat source are the usual fit. Keeping the plumbing from freezing is part of the plan either way.

Our Forest Lake cabin sits on a crawlspace. How do we keep the pipes and ducts from freezing?

Treat the crawlspace as part of the house. Seal and insulate the walls and rim joist, lay a vapor barrier over the soil, and give the space a little conditioned air so it stays above freezing. Ducts running through a vented crawlspace should be sealed and insulated. If the cabin sits empty part of the winter, a Wi-Fi thermostat that sends a low-temperature alert gives you time to act.

Our Forest Lake acreage home runs on propane. What safety equipment should we have?

Working CO alarms within 10 feet of every bedroom, which Minnesota law requires, plus a propane gas detector mounted low, since propane is heavier than air and settles in basements. Know where the shutoff is at the tank. If the tank ever runs dry, suppliers generally leak-test the system before restoring service, and we can relight and check the furnace afterward.

Also serving near Forest Lake

Guides for Forest Lake homeowners

Brands we service in Forest Lake: Carrier · Trane · Lennox · Goodman · Rheem · Mitsubishi Electric · Daikin · American Standard · Navien · Weil-McLain · and every other major brand

Contact Us

Heat out in Forest Lake? Call or send a request.

Send a service request

Prefer to talk it through? Call 612-429-3465.

Call 612-429-3465Request service