October HVAC shipments grow at highest rate in three years

The industry has staged a comeback from 2023, with a promising replacement backdrop heading into the next two years

HVAC

Image: Apollo HVAC

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.

Keep reading

July heat drove electricity demand to new highs, data shows

July heat drove electricity demand to new highs, data shows

Driven in part by weather, peak electricity demand hit two new highs during the month, according to the Energy Information Administration

General Manager Jeff Carpenter on how to run an efficient call center

General Manager Jeff Carpenter on how to run an efficient call center

Notes on dispatchers versus CSRs, metrics, and smiling

HVAC’s dual reality: Growing interest, 40,000 job openings 

HVAC’s dual reality: Growing interest, 40,000 job openings 

A conversation about the HVAC industry's labor situation, including the nationwide surge in interest, annual projected job openings, and more