April’s most popular stories

We strive to give our audience juicy scoops, entertaining asides, and practical info. Here are the five stories that got people clickin’ the most in April. Thanks for reading, and as always, please feel free to send us story ideas! 

HVAC manufacturers hit with two more price-fixing lawsuits. “Each of the three lawsuits contends that since 2020, manufacturers have coordinated price hikes — and monitored and communicated them through AHRI, ACHR News, and public statements.” (Full story) 

7 HVAC and plumbing contractor videos that went viral. “Taking a detour from our traditional reporting, we stumbled down a deep and rather funny Instagram and TikTok rabbit hole to round up seven clips, posted by HVAC and plumbing contractors, that have each garnered over a million views.” (Full story) 

Thumbtack, Claude launch contractor hiring integration. “Home services marketplace Thumbtack [recently] announced a new integration with Claude, enabling users to receive tailored recommendations for local contractors following inquiries about home maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.” (Full story) 

HVAC equipment prices set to jump under new tariff rules. “In early April, President Trump announced changes to ‘Section 232’ tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper… which stand to ‘significantly drive up equipment costs for contractors and their customers.’” (Full story)

Fake HVAC sites behind Orlando contractor’s lost business. “Google searches for HVAC services in Orlando are now returning dozens of generic, seemingly AI-generated websites, pushing reputable contractors far down the results.” (Full story)