Schiller Park CHAPTER 98: RESIDENTIAL RENTAL DWELLINGS § 98.20
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR HEAT
Operative Text
No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy any multiple family building, single-family rental dwelling, or dwelling unit, for the purpose of living therein, which does not comply with the minimum requirements set forth in this section. (A) Every dwelling unit shall have heating facilities which conform to the requirements of the building regulations contained in this code. (B) Every dwelling unit or rooming unit to which heat is furnished from a heating plant used in common for the purpose of heating the building shall be supplied with heat without such undue restriction or ventilation as to interfere with proper sanitary conditions, to provide a minimum temperature of 68° from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and a minimum temperature of 63° at all other times during the period from September 15th to May 1. Such temperatures shall be averaged throughout the dwelling unit or rooming unit. (C) Failure to furnish the heat required by this section shall not constitute an offense where it is due to a breakdown of the heating plant, if diligence is used to have such plant repaired (unless such breakdown has been caused by a violation of this subchapter), nor where it is due to strikes, to a general shortage of fuel, to any act of the tenant who makes the complaint, or to any cause beyond the owner's control. (D) To determine if a violation of this section has occurred, the Building Official shall cause temperature readings to be made by means of a standard Fahrenheit thermometer in not less than two rooms, or if the unit consists of only one room then in two opposite parts of the room at or near the extremes as practicable, such thermometer to be placed at a point not less than four feet nor more than six feet away from any door or window. (Ord. 94-1890, passed 10-11-94; Am. Ord. 11-2815, passed 1-25-11; Am. Ord. 18-4110, passed 12-20-18) Penalty, see § 98.99
Schiller Park § 98.20 establishes minimum heating standards for rental dwellings and multi-family buildings. Units supplied by a shared heating plant must reach at least 68°F between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., and at least 63°F at all other hours, throughout the heating season from September 15 to May 1. Certain circumstances—such as an unforeseeable heating-plant breakdown, fuel shortages, strikes, or causes beyond the owner's control—can excuse a temporary failure to meet these temperatures, provided the owner acts diligently to restore heat. Compliance is verified by the Building Official using a standard Fahrenheit thermometer placed at least four feet from any door or window in at least two rooms or two opposite parts of a single-room unit.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers covered by Schiller Park § 98.20 generally maintain heating systems capable of delivering the required minimum temperatures—68°F during daytime hours and 63°F overnight—throughout every rental unit from mid-September through the end of April. Compliant operators keep heating equipment in good working order, respond promptly to any breakdown, and document repair efforts so that the diligence exception under § 98.20(C) is available if an unforeseeable failure occurs. Maintaining service records, fuel contracts, and communication logs can help demonstrate that any lapse was beyond the owner's control rather than a code violation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in Schiller Park rental units have a right under § 98.20 to adequate heat—at least 68°F during the day and 63°F at night—from September 15 through May 1. If a unit consistently falls below these thresholds without a recognized excuse, a tenant may report the condition to the Schiller Park Building Official, who is authorized to conduct thermometer readings to determine whether a violation has occurred. Tenants experiencing heating problems may also wish to contact a local tenant-rights organization to understand the range of options available, including how a documented violation under § 98.20 might factor into other remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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