Homepros

Meet Josh Cecil, who’s throwing a music festival to celebrate the trades

His upcoming TradeUp Fest will highlight the industry with music and storytelling

Most of U.S. set for above-normal temps in September: Outlook

Roughly two-thirds of the United States is predicted to face above-normal temperatures to kick off the fall

Lowe’s earnings reaffirm ‘cautious’ consumer trend

The company’s CEO says the homeowner “remains under pressure” in an uncertain economy

Homeowners remain ‘hesitant’ on big-ticket projects: Home Depot

They're "worried about inflation, about fuel costs, and about general uncertainty," CFO Richard McPhail said Tuesday

Residential gas, electric water heater shipments cool through June

U.S. shipments of gas and electric residential storage water heaters from January to June are down 3.6 and 5.4 percent year-over-year, respectively, per AHRI

HVAC shipments jump in June, extending recovery streak

Shipments of air conditioners drove the month’s trend, growing 26.8 percent year-over-year, while heat pump shipments increased by 15.1 percent

Legal

AHRI’s bid to delay GFCI rule for outdoor HVAC equipment heads to public comment

“If this date is not extended, many homeowners and tenants will be impacted by nuisance tripping incidents,” Tom Deary, AHRI’s senior director of codes, tells Homepros

New bill would cement DOE appliance standard overhaul

Utah Senator Mike Lee has introduced a bill that would overhaul how the Department of Energy sets energy efficiency standards for home appliances, including ACs and water heaters

Former HVAC school named in report of $300 million trade school fraud

Retail Ready Career Center in Garland, Texas, charged around $20,000 for a six-week “boot camp” that trained veterans to become HVAC technicians

Senators urge DOE to withdraw proposed appliance standards rule

The proposal would update the agency’s “Process Rule” used to establish energy conservation standards for household appliances and equipment, including air conditioners and water heaters

U.S. states sue EPA over refrigerant rule change

As the AIM Act phases down total HFC supply, some argue a late-May EPA rule will “artificially” inflate demand, putting upward pressure on refrigerant prices, including in residential HVAC

Bay Area proposes delaying first-of-its-kind gas water heater ban

“We heard from homeowners that the cost and logistics of switching to cleaner appliances can be real barriers, and we have responded by proposing common sense solutions,” said Philip Fine, executive officer of the Bay Area Air District

M&A

SharkBite parent enters exclusive acquisition talks after $2.9 billion bid

The offer from Brookfield, also the parent company of Service Experts, follows three bids from earlier this year

Home Depot’s SRS to acquire Colorado HVAC distributor

The move marks SRS’s second HVAC deal, following its acquisition of Mingledorff’s, the Southeast’s largest Carrier and Bryant distributor

Roofing

Owens Corning hit with unsolicited acquisition offers, WSJ says

Carlisle — which owns several roofing material brands, including Versico and WeatherBond — has made the offers in recent months

Lennox to buy Comfort-Aire, Century parent

The deal comes less than a year after Lennox paid $550 million for the HVAC division of NSI Industries, home to several parts and accessories brands

ExclusiveRoofing

Q&A: The roofing M&A landscape

In conversation with Aaron Toomey, Managing Director at home services-focused investment bank Anchor Peabody

May’s most popular stories

Some big-money action, an EPA rule change, and ChatGPT's local business ads

Management

Roto-Rooter residential revenue edges up — but lead costs bite

The company’s adjusted EBITDA margin declined slightly in the second quarter, driven by “increased internet marketing costs”

NWS issues final August temperature outlook

The final outlook widened the zone forecast to experience above-normal temperatures during the month to much of the lower 48 states