On May 21, the EPA finalized revisions to the Technology Transitions Rule, eliminating the January 1, 2026 installation deadline for residential and light commercial AC and heat pump equipment using refrigerants above 700 GWP, as long as the unit was manufactured or imported before January 1, 2025. The change clears a path for contractors and distributors to install remaining R-410A inventory until supplies run out, defusing a stranded-inventory risk industry groups had pegged near $500 million. Shop owners installing in New York should note that state regulation Part 494 still enforces the January 1, 2026 cutoff regardless of the federal action.
DuraPlas's 2026 Summer Cooling Report found that 50% of Americans have skipped HVAC maintenance to save money heading into summer, with 99% of the 600 homeowners surveyed saying economic uncertainty is reshaping their cooling plans and 31% calling those changes "dramatic." On the upside for contractors, 74% of homeowners said they would pay more for components that last longer and 71% prefer lower operating costs over lower install costs. Shops should retool maintenance-agreement scripts around durability and lifetime cost, since the price-sensitivity story is also a premium-equipment opportunity.
As residential and light commercial systems transition to low-GWP A2L refrigerants under the AIM Act, compressor lubricants are emerging as a primary point of failure when contractors mismatch oil and refrigerant. The wrong pairing can reduce efficiency, damage compressors, and shorten system life, especially in retrofit and service scenarios where legacy oils may linger. Service managers should pressure-test their parts SKUs and OEM-spec training before peak season to avoid expensive warranty callbacks.
Border States' May update flags broad-based input cost pressure: copper topped $6 per pound, WTI crude crossed $100 per barrel, HDPE resin jumped 37% month over month, and flatbed and van spot rates are up 30-40% over the past six months on a 40% rise in diesel. CPI rose 3.8% annually and PPI rose 6% annually, the biggest gain since December 2022, while Section 232 changes are adding delivered-cost exposure for copper, aluminum, and steel-intensive products. Owners should revisit job-pricing assumptions and lock in distributor commitments where possible over the next 60 to 90 days.
A.O. Smith named Carrie L. Anderson as executive vice president and CFO effective July 1, succeeding Charles T. Lauber, who is retiring after more than 26 years and will stay on through September 30 for transition. Anderson joins from The Campbell's Company and previously held CFO roles at Integra LifeSciences and senior finance posts at Dover and Delphi, bringing an industrial and manufacturing finance pedigree. A new CFO at a leading residential water heater manufacturer can ripple into pricing, capital allocation, and channel terms, so plumbing shop owners should watch the next earnings call for shifts in distributor and warranty strategy.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced the bipartisan BUILD America 250 Act, a five-year, roughly $580 billion surface transportation reauthorization covering FY 2027-2031 to replace the IIJA, which expires September 30, 2026. About $474.4 billion is guaranteed via Highway Trust Fund contract authority and $106 billion is subject to annual appropriations, with NAM citing $40 billion in annual manufacturer losses from highway congestion and port delays. While the funding targets civil work, the labor pull and materials demand will tighten the same skilled-trades and metals markets residential shops already compete in.
A new commentary from Tulsa Welding School points to military veterans as a high-fit, underutilized pipeline for HVAC, electrical, and plumbing roles, citing U.S. Department of Education projections that 2.1 million trade positions could go unfilled by 2030. The Wounded Warrior Project also found roughly a third of veterans struggle to find full-time work after separation, often landing below their skill level. Shops with structured onboarding should evaluate SkillBridge partnerships, GI Bill-eligible training pipelines, and veteran-specific recruiting to access disciplined hires already familiar with technical work.
Denver-based Lohmiller, which also operates as Carrier West, was named 2026 Best Distributor to Work With in the inaugural Champions of Distribution awards from Distribution Trends and ACHR News. The honor came from a nomination by Samantha Houchin of residential contractor The Weather Changers, who credited the distributor with showing up daily to help her shop win national recognition. The award profile highlights what high-performing residential shops increasingly demand from wholesale partners and offers a useful benchmark for owners evaluating their own distributor relationships.
The Plastics Pipe Institute filed comments with the U.S. Trade Representative urging the U.S., Mexico, and Canada to keep USMCA intact ahead of the mandatory July 1, 2026 joint review, which will decide whether the agreement renews for another 16 years, shifts to annual reviews, or terminates. PPI President David M. Fink argued the framework gives manufacturers the certainty needed for cross-border investment and stable supply chains. Plumbing shop owners should factor potential trade-policy volatility into 2026-2027 budgets for PEX, PVC, and other resin-based product categories.
F.W. Webb opened a new 90,000-square-foot store and warehouse in Queensbury, New York, stocking more than 20,000 SKUs (1,500 new to the location) and adding a will-call counter, Water Works inventory, and a training center that seats more than 40. A Frank Webb Home bath, kitchen, and lighting showroom is slated to follow, and the move coincides with Webb's 160th anniversary and a new mobile trade app. Upstate New York plumbing and HVAC contractors should reassess routing, training, and same-day pickup workflows to capture the added capacity.