ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) reported furnace shipments were up in March, while the results for other measurable sectors were mixed. The Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) also reported an increase in residential furnace shipments.

According to AHRI, March 2010 brought gains for both gas and oil warm air furnaces. Gas warm air furnaces shipments increased 17 percent to 186,963 units in March 2010, compared with 160,339 units shipped in March 2009. Oil warm air furnaces shipments increased 18 percent to 3,958 units, up from 3,337 units shipped in March 2009. Year-to-date U.S. shipments of gas warm air furnaces increased 21 percent and year-to-date shipments of oil warm air furnaces increased 33 percent.

Residential water heater shipments were also up. In March 2010, residential gas water heater shipments increased 21 percent over March 2009. In the same time period, the number of U.S. residential electric water heater shipments increased 16 percent. Year-to-date shipments of residential gas water heaters increased 10 percent, and year-to-date shipments of residential electric water heaters increased 4 percent.

Commercial gas water heaters saw a 4 percent increase in shipments in March 2010; however, shipments of electric water heaters dropped 4 percent. Year-to-date U.S. shipments of commercial gas water heaters increased 3 percent, while year-to-date U.S. shipments of commercial electric water heaters decreased 7 percent.

The combined total of U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps in March 2010 was down 2 percent to 461,446 units. However, 162,971 of those units were heat pumps, which represented a 0.6 percent increase from March 2009. Year to date, shipments of heat pumps increased 7 percent in March 2010, and year-to-date shipments of central air conditioners increased 6 percent.

According to HRAI, residential furnace shipments in Canada showed the largest gain in the first quarter of 2010. Residential furnace shipments in Canada increased 63 percent in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the first quarter of 2009. Chiller shipments showed the second largest gain, increasing by 49 percent. Other sectors showing increases included residential air conditioning (38 percent), unit heaters (28 percent), and commercial air conditioning (7 percent). Shipments of ductless splits, which include heat pumps and air conditioning condensing units, decreased by 21 percent compared to the first quarter of 2009.

For more information, visit www.ahri.net and www.hrai.ca.

Publication date: 05/17/2010