HVAC Residential Market

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December will be another month of increasing cost pressures. Most changes fall in the 2-8% range, though some brands issued “various” adjustments across product groups. Activity was steady throughout December, with no price reductions reported. 

Most homeowners trust plug-in detectors to keep them safe from carbon monoxide — not realizing those alarms often won’t sound until CO has been circulating for hours. With heating equipment responsible for many CO leaks and testing inconsistencies across the field, HVAC contractors are uniquely positioned to educate customers, reduce liability, and offer monitoring solutions that shut down equipment before CO becomes dangerous.  

Homeowners are staring at bigger electricity bills and asking hard questions about heat pumps. Here’s how to explain why higher electric rates don’t automatically mean higher total heating costs.

On more and more comfort calls, the first complaints are dust, odors, and stale rooms — not the thermostat setting. Contractors who treat filters, ventilation, humidity, and mixing as one system are turning those calls into easy wins.

The R-454B crisis dominated HVACR news this year, but other issues impacted the industry as well. They all set the stage for the year ahead.  

It’s been a challenging year for the HVACR industry, marked by refrigerant shortages, changing EPA regulations, and sluggish replacement sales.

The 2026 AHR Expo Trend Report shows contractors juggling refrigerant shortages, expiring tax credits, rising heat pump demand, AI tools, and a shrinking workforce.