Overview
- In early April the administration rewrote Section 232 to strip a long-standing exemption that excluded U.S.-origin steel and aluminum inside finished imports from tariff calculations, changing how tariffs apply to HVAC equipment.
- Manufacturers published price increases in May tied to the rule change, with notices from companies such as Lennox and WaterFurnace taking effect during the start of cooling season.
- The Air Conditioning Contractors of America formally asked the administration for an equipment exemption or a 90-day delay, warning the change would sharply raise costs for contractors and customers.
- Field-service data show job volume rising while average ticket prices lag equipment-cost increases, and contractors are adopting scheduling, answering and dispatch software plus AI to absorb some added wholesale costs.
- Because Mexico is the largest exporter of heating and cooling equipment to the U.S. and manufacturers rarely reverse price hikes, homeowners face a durable increase in repair and replacement bills and should consider locking quotes now.