HVAC Contracting

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Pricing across the HVAC/R supply chain continued to drift upward in November

Rushed furnace installations routinely crack heat exchangers, clog gas valves, and create CO risks long before the first heating season is over.

Nearly 1.1 million fewer air-source heat pumps and central a/c units were shipped in the U.S. this year, through September, than were shipped during the first nine months of 2024.

Manufacturers say the “next wave” of growth will be retrofit-friendly systems that drop into existing homes with minimal electrical work.

Residential credits are set to sunset, but commercial geothermal continues to gain momentum thanks to not-yet-expiring tax incentives, innovation, and maturing tech. For HVACR contractors, the next wave of geothermal growth hinges on training and design expertise.  

The arrival of the second Trump administration in Washington, D.C., this year brought talk of canceling the Energy Star program, though the HVAC industry and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed support for it.

Cities, states have pushed electrification at the expense of natural gas — now Congress is pushing back. 

The new technology is expected to cut consumer energy bills, and contractors would only see a modest upskilling to install the next-gen platform.

The trades are starving for skilled hands while thousands of veterans are quietly wondering what comes next.