Shipments of A/C Units, Heat Pumps Tumbled in July
Shipments of central a/c units and air-source heat pumps in the U.S. fell by hundreds of thousands of units in July, compared to July of last year, while shipments of both gas- and oil-fueled furnaces rose somewhat.
The latest shipping data from the Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) helps illustrate a market still roiled by tariffs, the move to A2L-compatible equipment, and the limited availability of R-454B refrigerant for aftermarket use, and one in which contractors and consumers may be looking toward the cooler months.
According to AHRI, 763,443 central a/c units and air-source heat pumps were shipped in July, a decrease of 279,977, or 26.8%, compared to July 2024, during which 1,043,420 units were shipped. Shipments of a/c units took the biggest drop, 32.9%, as 613,216 units were shipped in July 2024 but only 411,530 in July of this year. Air-source heat pump shipments were down 18.2%; 430,204 units shipped in July of last year and 351,913 this July.
There were 260,224 gas furnaces shipped in July, a 2% increase compared to July 2024, when 255,099 were shipped. There were 1,963 oil furnaces shipped in July, up 5.3% over July of last year, when 1,864 were shipped.
July shipments of gas-fired residential storage water heaters increased by 1.4%, with 316,999 units shipped compared to 312,476 in July 2024. There were 401,319 electric residential storage water heaters shipped in July, compared to 396,168 shipped during the same month last year, an increase of 1.3%.
The July falloff in central a/c and air-source heat pump shipments significantly depressed the year-to-date figures for that equipment, which, in the case of a/c units, were already below 2024 levels. Central a/c shipments through July were down by 12.6%, at 2,911,784 units, compared to 3,332,577 units shipped during the same period in 2024. Air-source heat pump shipments, year to date, were up just 0.1%, as 2,428,800 units were shipped during the first seven months of the year compared to 2,427,374 units shipped through July in 2024.
Shipments of gas furnaces increased by 11.5% during the first seven months of this year, to 1,915,641 units, compared to 1,718,336 units shipped during the same period in 2024. Year-to-date U.S. shipments of oil furnaces, at 15,490 units, were up 9.9% compared to the first seven months of 2024, during which 14,094 units shipped.
Shipments of residential gas storage water heaters, year to date, were up by only 1.1% (2,550,303 through this July, compared to 2,522,542 through July in 2024). Shipments of residential electric storage water heaters, year to date, decreased by 0.3%; 3,045,246 were shipped during the first seven months of 2024 and 3,035,356 units during the same period this year.
Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
