U.S. factory shipments of residential cooling and heating equipment declined in February, compared with the same month a year ago, while the commercial market for these products maintained steady growth, according to AHRI.

U.S. factory shipments of residential cooling and heating equipment declined in February, compared with the same month a year ago, while the commercial market for these products maintained steady growth, according to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).

Central Air Conditioners and Air-Source Heat Pumps

Combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for February totaled 335,897, a 13 percent drop compared with February 2007 total shipments. For the year-to-date, combined shipments totaled 658,968, an 8 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

Heat pump shipments for February totaled 123,122, a 10 percent drop from the same month a year ago. For the year-to-date, heat pump shipments totaled 248,611, a 2 percent drop compared with the same period last year.

Warm Air Furnaces

U.S. factory shipments of gas warm air furnaces dropped 22 percent to 153,812, compared with February 2007 totals. Oil warm air furnaces for the same month fell 39 percent to 3,680, compared with February 2007 shipments of this equipment.

Room Heaters

A total of 3,562 vent-free room heaters were shipped in February 2008, a 22 percent drop compared with shipments the same month last year.

Water Heaters

Residential electric water heater shipments for February totaled 361,529, slightly outpacing residential gas water heater shipments, which totaled 350,174, but shipments for both types of water heaters fell about 3 percent compared with shipments for the same month last year.

Commercial gas water heater shipments for February totaled 7,695, a 4 percent increase compared with the same month last year. February commercial electric water heater shipments totaled 5,422, an 8 percent increase from the same month a year ago.

Vent-free Gas Hearth Products

February gas logs and insert product shipments totaled 10,070, a 24 percent drop compared with the same month last year, while gas stove shipments for the same month jumped 34 percent compared to February 2007 shipments. Gas fireplace shipments for February 2008 totaled 2,616, a 19 percent drop compared to the same month last year.