Every figure includes its question wording and base size, with study methodology and fieldwork details included in the report.
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myCLEAReport · Residential HVAC
Which residential HVAC brands are top of mind for contractors, and what shapes the brand they choose?
This highlights report examines brand awareness and brand selection in the residential heating and cooling market, drawn from contractors and installers who make equipment purchasing decisions for their companies.
It covers the industry changes contractors expect over the next four years, the brands they keep front of mind and carry, the factors that weigh on brand choice, and how online purchasing is changing for contractors and their residential customers.
What the study examines
Four questions the research was built to answer
Objective
Market changes
What industry changes contractors expect over the next four years.
Objective
Brand awareness and offerings
Which residential HVAC brands are top of mind for contractors, and which they carry as their primary, secondary and tertiary options.
Objective
Influencing factors
The product and non-product factors that weigh on a contractor’s choice of residential HVAC brand.
Objective
Online purchasing activity
How online purchasing by contractors and by their residential customers is changing, and how it affects the business.
Go beyond assumptions about brand preference.
Direct research from contractors and installers who specify and buy residential heating and cooling equipment.
Explore what’s inside
The report presents the findings in charts and tables, with the question wording and base size shown for each.
15 pages · table of contents
Study Purpose, Sampling & Methodology
3
Market Outlook & Brand Landscape Highlights
4
Planning Ahead — What Contractors Expect Over the Next Four Years
5
Number of Brands Sold
6
What’s Important to Contractors: Product-Related Factors
7
What’s Important to Contractors: Non-Product Related Factors
8
Contractor Online Purchasing Activity
9
Residential Customer Online Purchasing
10
Breadth of Brand Awareness
11
Demographic Information
12
Firmographic Information
13
Appendix
14–15
Brands measured · listed alphabetically
Every respondent was shown the same list of residential HVAC brands. The order below is alphabetical and carries no meaning — awareness levels, primary, secondary and tertiary standing, and how they changed are in the report.
Residential HVAC contractors and installers involved in purchasing heating and cooling equipment for their company.
Online
Method
Online survey among qualified subscribers to The NEWS, Plumbing & Mechanical, PM Engineer, Engineered Systems and SNIPS, plus the myCLEARopinion panel and a trusted panel partner.
15
Page highlights report
Charts, data and analysis across the topics shown in the Table of Contents, drawn from the full trended edition.
Data was collected November 4–20, 2025. This highlights report is sourced from the 2026 Residential HVAC Brand Awareness myCLEAReport, the full trended edition.
Closed-ended data is tabulated in SPSS; open-ended answers are summarized, coded or reproduced as written. Individual question sample sizes may vary throughout the report based on survey routing, respondent qualifications, data cleaning and non-response. Bases of 30 or more are treated as statistically reliable and bases under 15 are read directionally only. Significance is tested at the 95% confidence level.
Who should use this report
The report is built for organizations that need a clearer picture of how residential HVAC contractors think about brands and where they buy.
HVAC contractors and installers
To refine brand offerings and align with industry trends and best practices.
Product managers and developers
Designing HVAC products that meet current market needs and emerging trends in brand preference.
Dealers and distributors
To understand contractor preferences and develop targeted inventory and sales strategies.
Business development and marketing
To understand industry demand and build marketing strategies around brand loyalty and contractor preference.
15 pages · 332 qualified respondents · 2026
Get the report
Get the Residential HVAC Brand Awareness Highlights Report
Get the complete highlights report, including the charts, data and analysis behind each topic in the Table of Contents.