Shipments of central air conditioners and air source heat pumps jumped 7% in 2002 to a record 6,746,326 units, according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). That total eclipsed 2000’s record shipments of 6,685,481 units, and 2001’s total of 6,281,443. Heat pump shipments of 1,483,599 units was also a record, up 2% from 2001’s 1,442,355 units.
Meanwhile, the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reported that 3,201,610 gas furnaces were shipped in 2002, up 4.5% over 2001’s total of 3,062,602.