Manufacturer price increases sweep August
ACHR News compiled a broad round of HVACR manufacturer price increases taking effect throughout August 2026, with adjustments ranging from single digits to as high as 25%. Daikin, Goodman, and Amana raised prices up to 7% effective August 3. Nortek/Miller announced increases effective August 26. Lau parts jumped 16.2-16.8% effective August 31, and Legend Valve products reached 25%. The increases cover equipment, parts, IAQ products, valves, motors, and accessories (ACHR News). This follows new tariffs that effectively replaced global duties struck down by the Supreme Court in February 2026, adding cost pressure to imported HVAC components (ACHR News).
What this means for contractors and homeowners. Equipment costs are rising across the board. If you've been delaying a system replacement, the window before the next round of increases narrows. Locking in pricing with your contractor now — before additional tariff-driven hikes land — can protect your budget.
AHRI shipments up 21.7% — fifth straight growth month
U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 1,023,571 units in June 2026, an increase of 21.7% compared to June 2025, according to AHRI data. Air conditioner shipments drove the month, growing 26.8% year-over-year, while heat pump shipments increased 15.1%. June marked the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year growth and the biggest jump in that streak. For the first half of 2026, manufacturers shipped nearly 4.72 million units, up 3% from the same period in 2025 (Cooling Post; Home Pros News). The growth streak follows nine consecutive months of declines that began in May 2025.
AHRI pushes to extend GFCI deadline for outdoor HVAC
A long-running exception to the National Electrical Code (NEC) that exempts outdoor HVAC equipment from GFCI protection is set to expire on September 1, 2026. AHRI has pushed to extend that deadline, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which publishes the code, advanced AHRI's request during the week of August 20 toward a possible extension. If the exception expires without extension, outdoor HVAC installations may require GFCI protection that could add cost and complexity to residential and light commercial jobs (ASHRAE Ireland).
Samsung and ORNL target -30°C heat pump performance
Samsung Electronics is working with the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to develop a heat pump capable of performing in ambient temperatures below -30°C. The research will continue through the first half of next year and will verify performance and reliability in Alaska. Samsung plans to use rotary scroll compressors and flash injection technology (Cooling Post). Separately, Samsung announced it is relocating heat pump boiler production to Korea, with a new line at its Gwangju plant capable of producing over 100,000 units annually, beginning full-scale mass production in late September (Ground News).
EU slashes F-gas import quotas 35% for Q4 2026
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1482, published July 30 and effective August 1, 2026, amended Annex II of the F-Gas Regulation to cut Q4 2026 import quotas for high-GWP refrigerants — including R134a, R404A, and R410A — by 35% compared to the same period in 2025. The reduction affects industrial chillers, condensing units, and heat exchange systems, and impacts compliance pathways for equipment containing these refrigerants exported to the EU (Sector Vantage). The European Commission's broader Electrification Action Plan targets 4 million annual heat pump installations by 2030, up from 2.4 million in 2025, and aims to double electricity's share of energy consumption from 23% to 46% by 2040 (ASHRAE Ireland).
ACEEE models $215B in annual savings from electrification
ACEEE modeling projects $215 billion in annual U.S. building energy-cost savings from accelerated residential electrification, heat pump deployment, and building-envelope retrofits. Space-heating and water-heating electrification account for roughly half of the total modeled savings. Pairing high-efficiency heat pumps with improved insulation and smart controls could reduce peak summer electricity demand by up to 20%. The model evaluates nationwide building decarbonization through 2050 and identifies the Section 25C tax credit and HEAR rebate program as key upfront-cost reducers (Heat Pump Score).
Maryland launches $72.5M heat pump rebate program
The Maryland Energy Administration issued a Request for Information to structure a $72.5 million heat pump rebate program under the state's Utility RELIEF Act. The program targets low-to-moderate-income homeowners with point-of-sale discounts for whole-home and partial-home heat pump installations. It may also bundle electrical panel upgrades and basic weatherization. The state-level funding backstop is designed to maintain electrification momentum regardless of changes to federal incentive timelines (Heat Pump Score).
Grid resilience, tariffs, and industry moves
The DOE issued emergency orders to keep the PJM Mid-Atlantic grid online during a late-August heat wave, with clean energy resources and plug-in batteries helping avoid catastrophe. In New York City, plug-in batteries kept renters' air conditioning running without tripping the grid (CoolVerdict; Heat Pump Score). New Jersey proposed 150 MW of behind-the-meter storage procurement for virtual power plants on August 26 (Heat Pump Score).
On the trade front, Canada announced new counter-tariffs targeting U.S. HVACR equipment on August 27, potentially affecting cross-border equipment pricing (Contracting Business). California moved to streamline heat pump permitting for contractors, also on August 27 (Contracting Business).
In industry consolidation, Beijer Ref signed an agreement to acquire 90% of Lithuanian refrigeration manufacturer Refra on August 24 (Cooling Post). The German-owned Wieland Group announced a $15 million investment in a second heat exchanger production facility in Delaware, Ohio, driven by data centre cooling demand (Cooling Post). SPX Technologies acquired Neptronic for CA$605 million to expand its HVAC portfolio (LinkedIn).
Also on the Hub this week
Our daily articles this week covered combustion analyzers and flue gas testing (Aug 30), UVGI ultraviolet germicidal irradiation for HVAC coils and air disinfection (Aug 29), VRF variable refrigerant flow systems for commercial HVAC (Aug 28), thermal bridging and continuous insulation (Aug 27), HVAC fault detection and diagnostics (Aug 26), and grid-interactive efficient buildings with demand response (Aug 25).
| Story | Key Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Price increases | 4-25% across manufacturers | ACHR News |
| June shipments | 1,023,571 units (+21.7% YoY) | AHRI / Cooling Post |
| GFCI deadline | Sept 1, 2026 (extension pending) | ASHRAE / NFPA |
| Samsung-ORNL heat pump | Target: -30°C ambient | Cooling Post |
| EU F-gas quota cut | -35% vs Q4 2025 | Sector Vantage |
| ACEEE savings model | $215B annual, peak -20% | Heat Pump Score |
| Maryland rebates | $72.5M for LMI homes | Heat Pump Score |
| Wieland heat exchanger plant | $15M in Delaware, OH | Cooling Post |
| SPX-Neptronic acquisition | CA$605M |
Naming a product or manufacturer in this article is for identification purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by HVAC Zone Inc. We are a multi-brand dealer and remain neutral on brand preference.
Questions about how this week's news affects your heating or cooling system? Request a consultation — we'll help you navigate price changes, refrigerant transitions, and efficiency upgrades for your specific situation.