Research
Original data analysis for the HVAC trade: workforce, prices, energy use, safety and equipment statistics built from primary federal sources.
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One in Five US Homes Is Poorly Insulated: Insulation, Drafts and Windows by the Numbers
EIA data: 20% of US homes are poorly or not insulated, 13% drafty most of the time and 35% single-pane, falling steeply with newer construction.
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Renters Live in Leakier Homes With Older Heat: The Split Incentive in Federal Data
EIA data on renters and owners: renters are twice as likely to be poorly insulated, far more likely to be drafty and to cool with window units, and…
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44% of Heated US Homes Use a Second Heat Source, and 46 Million Space Heaters
EIA data: 44% of heated homes use a second heat source, 28 million run portable electric heaters, and 21% of secondary-heat users run it nearly all the time.
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Heat Pumps and Furnaces Are Now Tied in New US Homes: 53 Years of Census Data
53 years of Census construction data: heat pumps now heat 48% of new US homes against 49% for furnaces, a statistical tie. Electric heat leads at 56%, 98%…
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Do Heat Pumps Work in the Cold? The Median Keeps 77% of Its Capacity at 5°F
We analysed the rated cold-weather performance of 8,857 ENERGY STAR certified heat pumps. The median keeps 77% of capacity at 5°F and is still twice as efficient as…
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The A2L Transition, Counted: 80% of Certified Heat Pumps Now Use R-454B
We counted the refrigerant in 285,055 ENERGY STAR certified heat pumps. R-454B is 80% of combinations but 43% of outdoor models, because each ducted R-454B unit is matched…
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Summer 2026 Ran 25% Hotter Than Normal: The Cooling Degree Day Index
NOAA counts summer heat in cooling degree days. 2026 ran 25% above normal and passed 31 of the last 41 full years by September. The biggest anomalies hit…
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Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps by State: Every State, Checked Against EIA
Air conditioning and heat pump heating for every state, rebuilt from EIA microdata and checked against EIA’s own table. Washington is at 52% AC; heat pumps run from…
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8.16 Million US Households Could Not Use Their Air Conditioning in 2024
EIA asks households directly whether their heating and cooling stopped working and stayed broken. In 2024, 8.16 million could not use their air conditioning and 6.83 million could…
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The Heating Degree Day Index: 41 Seasons of US Heating Demand
NOAA publishes this weekly for energy traders and almost nobody else reads it. 41 completed heating seasons: demand down 7.2%, the 2025-26 season 8% below normal, and a…