HVAC Industry Sees Shortages

As we see the weather get warmer, it may be a good time to get your air conditioner serviced because if it needs a particular part, you could be waiting a while for it as there is a parts shortage hitting the heating and air-conditioning businesses.

The situation is much like the automotive industry because a lot of today’s heating or cooling units utilize similar circuit boards. A lot of parts come from China and the shipments are getting stuck off the coast, unable to come into the ports.

With the summer set to heat up pretty soon, now is a good time to ask if your air conditioner is ready. The shortage that’s been seen in computer parts and car parts is also happening in the heating and air conditioning industry.

A lot of today’s furnaces and air conditioners utilize circuit boards; many of the materials needed to manufacture these components come from China.  As a result, there have been issues with shipments being stuck off the coast and unable to get into port to distribute said products due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This shortage was felt last year when a lot of the factories both overseas and domestically had to shut down due to outbreaks. There was some relief in the winter months when covid cases slowed down and manufacturers were able to play catch up, but these shortages are rearing their heads once again.

As things begin to open back up, some industries are seeing a devastating labor shortage. If this additional strain were to make its way into the HVAC industry, the situation could get much, much worse.

Many contractors are encouraging customers who are considering repairing or replacing their HVAC systems to do it sooner rather than later, as many distributors are warning of a mid to late season stocking issue.

Historically, there has always been a huge surge in overall market spending when the temperatures spike. This pattern, coupled with the industry-wide parts shortage, could spell disaster for home and business owners who are trying to beat the heat.

US Air Conditioning Distributors remains well-stocked in most areas, and we are doing everything we can to get customers what they need in the areas that are already seeing shortages, but we are feeling the strain that all distributors and contractors are also experiencing.