Unfortunately most buyers have less money. The minimum monthly payment for Americans who carry credit card debt has doubled. This has created a pothole in buyers' budgets and contractors' sales. Less money and rising interest rates keep millions of homeowners from tapping their homes' equity to fund projects like better comfort.
Another roadblock is the rising cost of basic equipment. The price of HVAC equipment materials and components has skyrocketed. The copper in a penny is worth nearly twice its face value. Steel, aluminum, and transportation costs aren't at a peak, they're at an all-new average. This fact has inspired orange barrel slow downs in business and strained contractors' budgets.