Shipments of HVAC equipment increased marginally in 2012, reported the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Year-to-date combined shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps increased 1.9 percent, while U.S. shipments of gas warm-air furnaces increased 1.2 percent.
This slight uptick in sales echoed the predictions of many manufacturers who believe that the economy will remain a concern through 2013. As Bryan Rocky, director of residential product management, Johnson Controls Inc., noted, “Economic uncertainty translates to reluctance or an inability on the part of many families to commit significant sums of money to the purchase of HVAC equipment. However, growth segments do exist, and if 2013 is a slightly up year for the industry, I think everyone will be encouraged.”