However, 10-SEER and 12-SEER units can be sold indefinitely after Jan. 23 - as long as they were manufactured before that date. With that in mind, the suppliers who sell coils, motors, valves, and related items have been trying to guess what their OEM customers will want this year. Compressor makers are also dealing with current model needs while preparing for 2006.
According to some manufacturers, stockpiling of sub-13-SEER equipment seems likely because of the cost and the increased size of 13-or-higher-SEER units compared to lower-SEER equipment. The minimum efficiency since 1992 has been 10 SEER.