Shipments in the U.S. of furnaces jumped in May, compared to May of 2024, while air-source heat pump shipments were up somewhat, and shipments of central a/c units fell by more than 70,000, according to the latest AHRI data.
Shipments of residential storage water heaters rose in May compared to the same month a year ago, the data show.
Some Context
These transactions took place as HVAC contractors continued to grapple with the limited availability of R-454B, caused by a shortage of proper cylinders for the A2L refrigerant. The industry was also affected by the Trump administration’s tariff policy, which has led to price increases on some items, and the transition to A2L-compatible equipment.
May 2025 was among the top third of the warmest months, in the 48 contiguous states, since records started being kept in 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Florida experienced the second-warmest May on record, according to NOAA, and many parts of the West, Southwest, and Northwest, plus the northern Rockies and Plains, recorded above-average temperatures. Warmer-than-normal conditions were also seen along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida and up the Atlantic seaboard, though temperatures in the central states were generally near average or below average, according to a NOAA report.
Heat Pumps Up, A/C Units Down
There were 474,519 central a/c units shipped in May, AHRI said, compared to 545,636 units shipped in May of last year, a 13% drop. Air-source heat pump shipments, though, were up by 5.9%, with 387,610 units shipped compared to 365,881 shipped in May 2024.
Furnace shipments saw a big May increase: There were 283,691 gas furnaces shipped, compared to 245,283 in May of last year, a 15.7% spike. Oil furnace shipments were up nearly 18%, with 1,667 shipped compared to the 1,414 shipped in May 2024.
Residential gas storage water heater shipments rose by 3%, to 354,211, compared to May of 2024, when 343,908 units were shipped. Residential electric storage water heater shipments were up slightly, 1.3%, to 445,287 units, compared to 439,756 units shipped during May of last year.
Year-To-Date Increases for Furnaces, Heat Pumps
Year-to-date shipments of gas furnaces were up 18.8% for the first five months of 2025, as 1,377,374 units were shipped, compared to 1,159,352 units through May of 2024. That’s an increase of more than 200,000 units. Shipments of oil-fired furnaces through May were up 12.5% at 11,466 units, compared to 10,194 units shipped through May of 2024.
Shipments of central a/c units through May 2025, at 2,022,984, fell by about 2.3% compared to the 2,071,460 units shipped during the same period in 2024. Year-to-date air-source heat pump shipments were up 9.5%, with 1,713,388 units shipped through May compared to 1,564,254 units shipped during the first five months of 2024.
Residential storage water heater shipments through May changed only slightly compared to the same period in 2024. Gas water heater shipments rose just over 1% year to date, to 1,892,657 units, from 1,871,705 through May of 2024. Electric water heater shipments dropped by 1%, to 2,214,714 units, compared to 2,237,679 units shipped during the same period last year.