Water heater shipments fall in October

Shipments of both gas and electric residential storage water heaters in October fell compared to last year, according to newly released AHRI data. 

What’s happening: U.S. shipments of gas-fired water heaters declined 8.7 percent year-over-year to just over 322,000 units during the month, while electric water heater shipments fell 9.7 percent to roughly 391,000 units. (AHRI data doesn’t include tankless water heaters.)

The big picture: Year-to-date, gas water heater shipments have grown while electric shipments have fallen, compared to last year; however, electric unit volume remains higher.

From January through October, manufacturers shipped roughly 3.5 million residential gas water heaters, a 0.2 percent year-over-year increase, and nearly 4.2 million electric water heaters, a two percent decrease.