October HVAC shipments grow at highest rate in three years

Shipments of central air conditioners and heat pumps grew 53 percent, year-over-year, in October, according to AHRI data released on Friday.

Why it matters: This marks the biggest year-over-year monthly gain since April 2021.

Details: Manufacturers shipped about 450,000 air conditioners in October, a 47 percent increase from last year. Heat pump shipments were even more impressive, climbing 62 percent to 365,000 units. Full breakdown

The big picture: The industry has now seen seven consecutive months of shipment growth, staging a comeback after a difficult 2023.

• Zoom in: From January through October, 8.4 million total air conditioners and heat pumps were shipped — a nine percent increase from the same ten-month period last year. 

Looking ahead: The air conditioners and heat pumps shipped in 2010 and 2011 — 10.6 million of them — are approaching, if not at, the end of their useful lives, providing a promising replacement backdrop heading into the next two years.

• November shipments will be released on the second Friday of January.