Data Show Mixed Report for HVAC Equipment Shipments
A/C unit shipments slipped in April, but heat pump shipments soared nearly 19%
AHRI data for the month of April show mixed trends for shipments in the U.S. of major HVAC products.
Shipments of air-source heat pumps in April, at 374,004 units, soared by 18.9% compared to the same month in 2024, during which 314,449 units were shipped. April shipments of central a/c units dropped by 2.8%, to 422,275 units, compared to 434,239 units shipped during April of last year.
The increases came as air-conditioning season approached in many parts of the country, and even as HVAC contractors scrambled to navigate the ongoing aftermarket shortage of the lower-GWP refrigerant R-454B. April was also the first month, according to Heating, Air conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), in which sales of equipment made to use A2L refrigerants represented a majority of the air-source heat pump and a/c units sold.
Shipments of gas furnaces rose significantly, by 12.7%, month-to-month comparison, with 264,259 units shipped in April compared to 234,440 shipped in April 2024. Shipments of oil warm-air furnaces slipped by 0.8%, to 1,875 units, compared to 1,890 units shipped in April 2024.
Water heater shipments were off in April compared to April 2024. Shipments of gas-fired residential storage water heaters were down 4.3%, with 367,604 units shipped compared to 384,147 units shipped in April 2024. Shipments of electric residential storage water heaters were down by 2.6%, with 450,168 units shipped compared to 462,235 units shipped in April of last year.
Wider view
In year-to-date comparisons, shipments of air-source heat pumps, a/c units, and both gas-fired and oil-fired furnaces were all up over the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Shipments of gas residential water heaters were up slightly, while shipments of electric residential water heaters dipped slightly.
Air-source heat pump shipments were up by 10.6%, to 1,325,778 units, compared to 1,198,373 units shipped during the same period in 2024. Year-to-date shipments of central air conditioners rose +1.5%, to 1,548,465 units, compared to 1,525,824 units shipped during January, February, March, and April of 2024.
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Year-to-date shipments of gas furnaces were up 19.6%, to 1,093,683 units, compared to 914,069 units shipped during the first four months of 2024. Year-to-date U.S. shipments of oil furnaces rose 11.6%, to 9,799 units, compared to 8,780 units shipped during the same period in 2024.
Year-to-date U.S. shipments of residential gas storage water heaters rose 0.7%, to 1,538,446, compared to 1,527,797 shipped during the first four months of last year. Residential electric storage water heater shipments were off by 1.6%, to 1,769,427 units, compared to the 1,797,923 shipped during the same period in 2024.
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