From Washington to Wall Street, the trades ride high in 2025
The trades this year have seen an uptick in interest, new investments, and a slew of initiatives to bolster the workforce
HVAC
U.S., Mexico near deal to lower steel tariffs
A deal would reduce the tariff rate on a certain amount of steel imports from Mexico, potentially easing some HVAC cost pressures
HVAC rebates dodge chopping block — but remain in limbo
A pair of HVAC-focused rebates remains untouched by Congress, but a January funding freeze has left many states in a holding pattern
Housing market has muted impact on 2025 HVAC demand
U.S. existing home sales, a proxy for replacement demand, have remained flat since January, compared to last year
Lennox rolls out space-saving heat pump
The product is designed for compact homes and follows a joint venture, announced in May, to enter the water heater market in 2026
Charted: A decade of heat pump shipments
While heat pumps have carried total shipment growth in 2025, the longer-term data tells an even stronger story
July outlook signals strong cooling demand
A heat wave is expected to drive record temperatures across the eastern U.S., and July has a favorable weather comparison
HVAC tech awarded $75 million in lawsuit
A Michigan jury this week delivered a record-breaking verdict, following an R-22 explosion that cost an HVAC tech most of his hands
$13 billion proposal would double funding that supports the trades
An Illinois congressman in early June called for the doubling of federal funding for career and technical education (CTE) programs nationwide
Senate releases ‘big, beautiful bill’: A mixed bag for contractors
The Senate's version of the 'big, beautiful bill' deals a key blow to the HVAC industry, but maintains some contractor-friendly proposals