ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) reported a 4.6 increase in May heat pump shipments as compared to the same month last year. The year-to-date heat pump shipments totaled 687,744, a 12.6 percent drop compared with the same period last year (revised YTD Jan. - May 2008 shipments: 786,923). Combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for May totaled 608,254, down 5.1 percent compared with the same month a year ago (revised May 2008 shipments: 641,235). For the year-to-date, combined shipments totaled 1,996,309, down 18.1 percent compared with the same period last year (revised YTD Jan. - May 2008 shipments: 2,438,338).

U.S. factory shipments of gas-fired, warm-air furnaces in May totaled 148,249, a 5.1 percent drop compared with the same month a year ago. For the year-to-date, gas furnace shipments totaled 691,587, a 15.8 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

Oil-fired, warm-air furnaces for the same month totaled 2,086, a 27.1 percent drop compared with May 2008 totals. Oil furnace shipments for the year-to-date totaled 14,442, a 25.2 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

For more information, visit www.ahrinet.org.

Publication date: 07/27/2009