October 20 2025 Issue

From a 30% spike in trade-school enrollments to HVAC’s latest policy battles in Washington, our second issue of the month captures an industry in motion — and in debate. Furthermore, explore how data-driven marketing is reshaping outreach, meet the tech who just won his third ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship, and learn why a solid maintenance agreement is essential to your business. Plus: essential code tips, troubleshooting mistakes to avoid, a look inside Arizona’s first convertible refrigerant system, and more.

Check back throughout the week for additional content.

The Trades Are Back: HVACR Programs See Nearly 30% Enrollment Spike

Enrollment surge confirms that industry outreach, recruitment efforts are paying off

Matt Jachman

October 10, 2025

A new wave of future technicians is entering the pipeline.

ACCA, AHRI, HARDI, PHCC Outline HVAC Legislative To-Do List

Trade groups push workforce, refrigerant, energy issues, and more in Washington

Matt Jachman

October 8, 2025

Portions of the sweeping One Big, Beautiful Bill Act impacted the HVACR industry, but lobbyists are still keeping busy on several fronts.

Big Data Meets HVAC Marketing

New AI platform combines hundreds of data sources to help contractors target homes most likely to buy

Maria Taylor

October 1, 2025

Pink’s household-level intelligence pinpoints consumers most likely to be interested in HVAC and energy efficiency upgrades.

Nexstar Cuts Ties With PE Members, Sacrificing 50% of Revenue

The organization will no longer work with private-equity-backed HVAC companies

Hannah Belloli-Oster

September 24, 2025

Nexstar Network just made a move most companies wouldn’t dare: It walked away from 50% of its revenue. The reason? To double down on its mission of serving independent contractors, not private-equity-backed businesses. Here’s how they made this bold decision and what it means for the home services industry.

technician and homeowner with Lennox heat pump

UPDATED: Tax Credit Tug-of-War: Democrats Cite Technicality in Attempt to Keep 25C Alive Through 2032

The tax incentive for high-efficiency HVAC is supposed to expire, but Dems push to save it

Matt Jachman

September 23, 2025

Some House Democrats are citing a legal technicality as they try to save a federal incentive for high-efficiency residential HVAC equipment. But the Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance that says the 25C credit will not be available for equipment put into service after this year.

3 Common HVAC Code Violations with Dryer Vents and Fiberglass Insulation

Avoid these frequent HVAC code mistakes for safer systems

Aleksandr Berestovoi

September 27, 2025

The most common code violations in HVAC aren’t rare mistakes — they’re everyday habits. Here’s how to break them.

Guest Column

The Hidden Supervillain Lurking in Your Heating Appliance

Why neutralizing acidic condensate should be standard on every high-efficiency install

Michael Sokaris

September 20, 2025

From corroded drains to code violations, acidic condensate is no joke. Here’s how a simple neutralizer keeps your equipment — and your reputation — safe.

Guest Column

Residential New Construction: Where Are We Now, And Where Are We Going?

Sam Snyder CFA

July 23, 2025

Rising rates and falling demand have put new housing — and the HVAC contractors who depend on it — in a holding pattern.

Arizona School Receives First Convertible Refrigerant System

Heatcraft’s dual-refrigerant technology proves field-ready in a walk-in freezer retrofit

Joanna R. Turpin

August 14, 2025

An Arizona elementary school recently had a new dual-refrigerant system from Heatcraft installed in its 19-year-old walk-in freezer. 

Plumber Three-Peats as HVAC National Champion

Matt Jachman

October 16, 2025

HVAC National Championship finalists in the professional division each had 90 minutes to correctly install refrigerant and condensate piping on an HVAC unit.

Guest Column

Why Every HVAC Contractor Needs Solid Service Agreements

Clear contracts safeguard HVAC contractors while building trust with customers

Eric Proos

September 10, 2025

Service agreements aren’t just paperwork — they’re protection for your HVAC business.

FROSTlines

Common Troubleshooting Mistakes to Avoid

Identify the cause and correct course of action before starting the repair

Joe Marchese

October 14, 2025

Avoid shortcuts and common mistakes when troubleshooting refrigeration systems. Attention to detail not only improves your skills but also increases your value to your company.

FROSTlines

Optimizing CO2 Systems for Year-Round Efficiency

Exploring low-side evaporator and superheat optimization techniques can help save energy

Andre Patenaude

October 15, 2025

A recent study has uncovered significant opportunities for year-round energy savings on CO2 refrigeration systems through the use of low-side strategies.

Contractor Pro Ductless Series

Contractors VRF Priorities: Reliability and Support

Efficiency is assumed — making reliability, quality, and ease of service the true differentiators

Hannah Belloli-Oster

October 13, 2025

A new survey shows contractors still value efficiency in VRF systems, but it’s no longer the deciding factor. Instead, reliability, long-term support, and adaptability are driving choices. Here’s how manufacturers — and contractors — are responding.

FROSTlines

Shortages and Sticker Shock Stall Summer HVAC Sales

Cautious consumers, lack of R-454B, and high-priced equipment dampened demand

Joanna R. Turpin

October 7, 2025

Despite the summer heat, HVAC replacements are lagging as high prices, refrigerant shortages, and consumer caution weigh on the residential market.

HVAC Q&A Episode 15: Is R-454B Finally Easier to Get?

Maria Taylor

October 7, 2025

In this video, we catch up with Manny Griego, owner of Arrowhead Refrigeration, to see what refrigerant availability is looking like this fall and through the end of the year.

Why HVAC Techs Quit — Straight From the Source

An HVAC Minute Video Update: October 1, 2025

Maria Taylor

October 1, 2025

Two HVAC technicians explain what’d lead them to quit. And when asked what might make them switch jobs, the answers were clear.

The NEWSMakers Podcast: Troubleshooting Comfort Issues with NCI's David Richardson

Dylan Kurt

October 8, 2025

How do pros actually fix comfort issues? David Richardson, director of technical curriculum and instructor at the National Comfort Institute (NCI), answers

Guest Column

AI Is Changing the Rules of Search — and Home Service Companies Need to Pay Attention

Visual searches topped 100 billion in 2025 — is your HVAC business showing up where customers are looking?

Katie Donovan

September 29, 2025

AI-powered queries now pull from reviews, photos, and business profiles. If your digital presence isn’t solid, you’re invisible.

Rheem Residential Packaged Dual Fuel Units

Rheem Launches Residential Packaged Dual Fuel System

The ACHR NEWS Editorial Staff

October 5, 2025

The RDFXYC unit is available in 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-ton models in both single- and three-phase configurations.

Resideo: New Dehumidifer Represents 'Next Wave'

The ACHR NEWS Editorial Staff

September 30, 2025

“Our new Whole Home Dehumidifier was re-designed from the ground up to deliver the ultimate in performance, efficiency, and quality," said Pat Tessier, vice president of product development for Honeywell Home and First Alert at Resideo.

FYI: News Briefs in HVAC - October 20, 2025

October 20, 2025

For your information news briefs from a wide variety of categories within the HVAC industry. Price increases, mergers and acquisitions, award winners, and more are highlighted here each issue.

On Demand As AI workloads and high-density computing push traditional cooling methods to their limits, the data center industry is accelerating the adoption of next-generation HVAC technologies.

ACHR NEWS

2025 October 20

Cover Story

The Trades Are Back: HVACR Programs See Nearly 30% Enrollment Spike

ACCA, AHRI, HARDI, PHCC Outline HVAC Legislative To-Do List

Feature Articles

Big Data Meets HVAC Marketing

Nexstar Cuts Ties With PE Members, Sacrificing 50% of Revenue

UPDATED: Tax Credit Tug-of-War: Democrats Cite Technicality in Attempt to Keep 25C Alive Through 2032

3 Common HVAC Code Violations with Dryer Vents and Fiberglass Insulation

The Hidden Supervillain Lurking in Your Heating Appliance

Residential New Construction: Where Are We Now, And Where Are We Going?

Arizona School Receives First Convertible Refrigerant System

Plumber Three-Peats as HVAC National Champion

Why Every HVAC Contractor Needs Solid Service Agreements

Common Troubleshooting Mistakes to Avoid

Optimizing CO2 Systems for Year-Round Efficiency

Contractors VRF Priorities: Reliability and Support

Shortages and Sticker Shock Stall Summer HVAC Sales

HVAC Q&A Episode 15: Is R-454B Finally Easier to Get?

Why HVAC Techs Quit — Straight From the Source

The NEWSMakers Podcast: Troubleshooting Comfort Issues with NCI's David Richardson

Columns

AI Is Changing the Rules of Search — and Home Service Companies Need to Pay Attention

Newsline

Rheem Launches Residential Packaged Dual Fuel System

Resideo: New Dehumidifer Represents 'Next Wave'

FYI

FYI: News Briefs in HVAC - October 20, 2025

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