AHRI Releases March-May 2011 U.S. Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating, and commercial refrigeration equipment. AHRI provides regular reports on the sales of a variety of equipment. Offered below is the data for March-May 2011.

Residential Storage Water Heaters

U.S. shipments of residential gas storage water heaters for March 2011 increased 10 percent, to 465,228 units, up from 421,303 units shipped in March 2010. Residential electric storage water heater shipments increased 7 percent in March 2011, to 410,169 units, up from 383,318 units shipped in March 2010.

U.S. shipments of residential gas storage water heaters for April 2011 decreased 4 percent, to 343,220 units, down from 357,877 units shipped in April 2010.  Residential electric storage water heater shipments decreased 3 percent in April 2011, to 318,556 units, down from 327,445 units shipped in April 2010.

U.S. shipments of residential gas storage water heaters for May 2011 increased 12 percent, to 320,197 units, up from 286,002 units shipped in May 2010.  Residential electric storage water heater shipments increased 8 percent in May 2011, to 306,778 units, up from 285,078 units shipped in May 2010.

For the year-to-date, U.S. shipments of residential gas storage water heaters increased 1 percent, to 1,748,943 units, compared to 1,730,748 units shipped during the same period in 2010.  Residential electric storage water heater shipments increased 0.1 percent year-to-date, to 1,620,072 units, compared to 1,618,868 units shipped during the same period in 2010.

Commercial Storage Water Heaters

Commercial gas storage water heater shipments increased 15 percent in March 2011, to 9,714 units, up from 8,476 units shipped in March 2010. Commercial electric storage water heater shipments increased 16 percent in March 2011, to 6,598 units, up from 5,698 units shipped in March 2010.

Commercial gas storage water heater shipments increased 8 percent in April 2011, to 7,278 units, up from 6,754 units shipped in April 2010.  Commercial electric storage water heater shipments decreased 17 percent in April 2011, to 4,655 units, down from 5,574 units shipped in April 2010.

Commercial gas storage water heater shipments increased 10 percent in May 2011, to 6,540 units, up from 5,939 units shipped in May 2010.  Commercial electric storage water heater shipments increased 17 percent in May 2011, to 5,208 units, up from 4,457 units shipped in May 2010.

Year-to-date U.S. shipments of commercial gas storage water heaters increased 6 percent, to 36,656 units, compared with 34,690 units shipped during the same period in 2010.  Year-to-date commercial electric storage water heater shipments increased 6 percent to 25,723 units, up from 24,188 units shipped during the same period in 2010. 

Warm Air Furnaces

U.S. shipments of gas warm air furnaces for March 2011 decreased 12 percent, to 164,861 units, down from 186,963 units shipped in March 2010. Oil warm air furnace shipments decreased 11 percent, to 3,542 units in March 2011, down from 3,958 units shipped in March 2010.

U.S. shipments of gas warm air furnaces for April 2011 decreased 11 percent, to 132,717 units, down from 149,791 units shipped in April 2010. Oil warm air furnace shipments increased 3 percent, to 2,225 units in April 2011, up from 2,167 units shipped in April 2010.

U.S. shipments of gas warm air furnaces for May 2011 decreased 16 percent, to 145,675 units, down from 172,876 units shipped in May 2010. Oil warm air furnace shipments decreased 17 percent, to 1,992 units in May 2011, down from 2,408 units shipped in May 2010.

Year-to-date U.S. shipments of gas warm air furnaces decreased 5 percent, to 784,361 units, compared with 829,523 units shipped during the same period in 2010.  Year-to-date U.S. shipments of oil warm air furnaces decreased 8 percent to 16,398 units, compared with 17,894 units shipped during the same period in 2010.

Central Air Conditioners and Air-Source Heat Pumps

U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 527,655 units in March 2011, up 14 percent from a revised total of 461,297 units shipped in March 2010. U.S. shipments of air conditioners increased 17 percent, to 349,721 units, up from a revised total of 298,328 units shipped in March 2010. U.S. shipments of air-source heat pumps increased 9 percent, to 177,934 units, up from a revised total of 162,969 units shipped in March 2010.

U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 561,248 units in April 2011, up 7 percent from a revised total of 523,107 units shipped in April 2010. U.S. shipments of air conditioners increased 11 percent, to 389,655 units, up from a revised total of 352,452 units shipped in April 2010. U.S. shipments of air-source heat pumps increased 0.5 percent, to 171,593 units, up from a revised total of 170,655 units shipped in April 2010.

U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 630,521 units in May 2011, up 8 percent from 586,466 units shipped in May 2010. U.S. shipments of air conditioners increased 11 percent, to 439,205 units, up from 396,612 units shipped in May 2010. U.S. shipments of air-source heat pumps increased 0.8 percent, to 191,316 units, up from 189,854 units shipped in May 2010.

Year-to-date combined shipments of residential central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps increased 12 percent, to 2,394,709 units, up from 2,140,747 units shipped in May 2010. Year-to-date shipments of central air conditioners increased 13 percent, to 1,579,703 units, up from 1,394,523 units shipped during the same period in 2010. The year-to-date total for heat pump shipments increased 9 percent, to 815,006 units, up from 746,224 units shipped during the same period in 2010. 

*NOTE: Industry figures are estimates derived from the best available figures supplied by a sample of AHRI member companies and are subject to revision.