ARLINGTON, Va. - Releasing its April 2009 data, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) reported a drop in central air conditioner, air source heat pump, and warm air furnace shipments. The combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for April totaled 410,932, down 23 percent compared with the same month a year ago. For the year-to-date, combined shipments totaled 1,366,249, down 24 percent compared with the same period last year.

Heat pump shipments for April totaled 129,264 down 16 percent from the same month a year ago. For the year-to-date, heat pump shipments totaled 484,867, a 19 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

U.S. factory shipments of gas-fired, warm-air furnaces in April totaled 125,000, an 8.5 percent drop compared with the same month a year ago. For the year-to-date, gas furnace shipments totaled 543,338, an 18.3 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

Oil-fired, warm-air furnaces for the same month totaled 2,368, a 13.5 percent drop compared with April 2008 totals. Oil furnace shipments for the year-to-date totaled 12,356, a 25 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

For more information, visit www.ahrinet.org.

Publication date: 06/29/2009