AHRI said U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totalled 638,841 units in February 2026, up 0.4% from 636,302 units in February 2025. Air conditioner shipments fell 4.2% to 328,145 units from 342,542 a year earlier, while air-source heat pump shipments rose 5.8% to 310,696 units from 293,760.
For the year to date through February 2026, combined shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps declined 14.3% to 1,079,660 units, compared with 1,259,203 units in the same period of 2025. Year-to-date air conditioner shipments fell 21.9% to 539,007 units from 689,899, and heat pump shipments were down 5.0% to 540,653 units from 569,304.
By monthly shipment size, the largest February 2026 volume was in the 22-26.9 (000) BTUH range at 138,500 units, up 4.8% from 2025. Other large categories included 33-38.9 (000) BTUH at 132,454 units, down 2.4%, and 27-32.9 (000) BTUH at 97,038 units, down 1.4%.
In the year-to-date data by size, the 33-38.9 (000) BTUH segment recorded 231,500 units, down 10.3% from 2025, while the 22-26.9 (000) BTUH segment totalled 225,560 units, down 16.7%. The 16.5-21.9 (000) BTUH category reached 105,333 units, down 19.1%, and the under 16.5 (000) BTUH category increased 8.1% to 51,874 units.
