HVAC & Plumbing Contractors

The 107,000 HVAC and plumbing contractors in the US provide installation, repair, and maintenance services for air handling and water management systems. Just over 60% of HVAC and plumbing contractors are solo operators. Contractors may specialize in residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial service.

Dependence On Construction Industry

Demand for HVAC and plumbing services is highly dependent on trends in the construction industry.

Increasing Sophistication Of HVAC Systems

Demand for improved efficiency in the non-residential market has led to increasingly complex HVAC systems and automated monitoring programs.

Sep 17, 2026 - Copper Costs Remain Elevated Despite Price Pullback

• ACHR News reports that copper wire and cable producer prices increased 27.2% in August compared with a year earlier and were 104.9% higher than in 2020, even as exchange-traded copper prices recently retreated from record highs. Elevated copper costs can pressure HVAC and plumbing contractor margins because copper is widely used in piping, wiring, and equipment, while rapidly changing commodity prices can make project bids harder to price. The source notes that lower commodity prices do not immediately translate into lower prices for fabricated products because supplier contracts, inventories, transportation, and other costs also affect downstream pricing.
• The Air Conditioning Contractors of America says a temporary exemption from ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection for certain outdoor HVAC equipment expired September 1. Some states have delayed or removed the requirement. Contractors elsewhere may face added installation and service challenges because some HVAC equipment can trip standard GFCIs even when installations are functioning properly. ACCA says the industry has not yet developed a proven solution for nuisance tripping. Contractors may need to monitor state and local code requirements closely and prepare customers for potential equipment compatibility issues, callbacks, and additional costs.
• Manufacturers announced September price increases ranging from 3% to 30% across pumps, valves, piping products, heating equipment, and other plumbing-related categories, according to Supply House Times. Continued supplier increases could raise material costs for plumbing and mechanical contractors and make estimating future jobs more difficult, particularly when bids remain open as supplier pricing changes. Among the announced adjustments, Amtrol raised prices 3% to 7%, Liberty Pumps increased prices by an average of 5%, Jones Stephens announced increases of 5% to 15% depending on the product group, and Guardian raised prices by an average of 6% across its entire product line.
• Facilities Dive reported that Trane Technologies' order backlog jumped 70% year over year to $12.1 billion in the second quarter, driven largely by strong demand for commercial HVAC systems, including data center cooling. The firm's Americas commercial HVAC bookings rose 50%, while applied-business (data centers and other large enterprise customers) bookings increased 130%. The company said continued capacity expansions have enabled it to keep accepting orders. Strong demand could benefit HVAC contractors by supporting installation, retrofit, controls, and maintenance opportunities tied to data centers and other commercial facilities. Trane also highlighted growing use of efficient closed-loop air cooling, its expanded liquid-cooling capabilities through LiquidStack, and smart-building technology from BrainBox AI. Quarterly revenue rose 11% to $6.4 billion, prompting Trane to raise its full-year revenue growth guidance from a previously estimated 9.5% to 11.5%.

Industry size & Structure

The average plumbing and HVAC contractor employs 12 workers and generates about $2.9 million in annual revenue.

• The HVAC and plumbing contractor industry consists of 107,000 companies, employs more than 1.3 million workers and generates $306.3 billion annually.
• Just over 60% of HVAC and plumbing contractors are solo operators and generate about $78,300 annually.
• Major customer segments include single family homes (20% of industry business), office buildings (10%), manufacturing and industrial buildings (5%), educational buildings (8%), commercial buildings (7%), health care and institutional buildings (6%), and apartment buildings (4%).
• Large companies include EMCOR Group, Comfort Systems USA, Johnson Controls, and ARS Rescue Rooter.