Nobody told you when you entered the industry that you’d one day be standing in a 90-degree attic explaining federal trade policy to a homeowner who doesn’t understand why it costs so much to get their AC to work.
Welcome to HVAC in 2026.
Here’s what’s actually happening with HVAC tariffs, and more importantly, what you can do about it.
How do HVAC tariffs actually affect equipment costs?
The short version: HVAC tariffs drive up equipment costs by raising the price of the raw materials and imported components that go into every system you install.
The long version: The federal government placed a 50% tariff on items made entirely or almost entirely of steel, aluminum, and copper. On top of that, most imported HVACR equipment (items substantially made of steel, aluminum, or copper) is getting hit with a flat 25% on its full value.
There was a workaround. Steel and aluminum sourced from American producers were exempt from Section 232 tariffs, a deliberate incentive to use domestically produced metals. Mexico — the single largest exporter of HVAC equipment to the United States — leaned into it. Roughly 84% of the metal in Mexican-made HVACR equipment was U.S.-origin, which meant most of it was shielded from the tariff.
That exemption is gone. The effective tariff rate on Mexican-made HVACR equipment didn’t slowly inch up. It jumped from around 8% to roughly 25% pretty much overnight.
Imports from China aren’t any better. Compressors, control boards, motors — a lot of that comes from China. Those goods are stacking Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs simultaneously, putting combined rates at 30% or higher.
Before you think “I’ll just buy American,” domestically assembled equipment still relies on imported components. You can’t fully outrun this one. These tariffs run dollar-for-dollar, right down the chain, until it lands on the homeowner staring at your estimate.
Why HVAC tariff-driven price increases are a homeowner affordability problem
Here’s where HVAC tariffs get real for you at the kitchen table.
You run the estimate. The number comes out. You watch the homeowner’s face. And you see the exact moment where they start doing math in their head, trying to figure out if they can pull this off.
For many homeowners, the math isn’t mathing. Tariffs are driving up your equipment costs at the same moment your customers have nothing left in the tank. According to the U.S. News’ 2026 Financing Wellness Survey, 43% of Americans don’t have the savings to pay for a $1,000 emergency. And you’re showing up with a quote that’s thousands of dollars higher than it was two years ago, for the same install, same house, same job.
So, what happens? Today’s Homeowner reports that nearly 60% of homeowners are putting off home repairs due to cost. If that’s your customer, they’re not saying no to you. They’re saying no to writing a check they don’t have. That’s a different problem, and it’s one you can actually solve.
HVAC financing isn’t a backup plan anymore
Most contractors treat financing like a life preserver, something you throw out there when the customer is already drowning in sticker shock. In a tariff environment where HVAC equipment prices are elevated and unpredictable, contractor financing needs to be the first thing out of your mouth, not the last.
According to ACCA’s 2025 Contractor of the Future Study, contractors who present financing on every single job see 35% of their sales financed. The ones who only bring it up sometimes? 17%. Same product, same market, yet half the financed revenue because they’re guessing wrong about who needs it.
In 2026, everyone needs HVAC financing. Tariffs are up. Savings are down. A $15,000 replacement is a wall most homeowners can’t climb. The math doesn’t work as a lump sum, but it doesn’t have to. $180 a month works. That’s the conversation you should be having to close more HVAC sales.
What is the best HVAC contractor financing platform for ACCA members?
The kitchen table just got harder. You need to bring better tools to it. That’s why ACCA has partnered with Finturf to launch Maximus, the HVAC financing tool available exclusively to members:
- Side-by-side proposal tool: When tariffs make your estimate significantly higher, the conversation can’t start with that number alone. Present multiple payment options at the table and shift it from “Can I afford this?” to “Which option works best for me?”
- 92%+ approval rate: A waterfall algorithm reroutes declined applications through the financing network. The homeowner who’s tapped out, stressed out, and staring at a tariff-inflated quote isn’t a lost deal; they’re a reroute.
- No dealer fee options: Margins are already getting squeezed by tariff-driven cost increases. You can set your dealer fee tolerances and the platform works within them.
- One portal, every lender: Stop juggling logins and bouncing between lender portals. One application connects your customer to the industry’s largest home improvement financing network, right at the kitchen table.
- Soft credit check: Homeowners who are already anxious about money don’t need another reason to hesitate. They can explore options without impacting their credit score, removing one more obstacle between you and a closed job.
- Live sales training: A login isn’t a financing strategy. Your team learns to lead with payment options confidently, answer common HVAC financing questions without stumbling, and close more on the first visit.
Equipment costs are elevated, homeowners are feeling it, and the contractors who figure out how to close jobs in this environment are the ones who will look back at 2026 as the year they separated themselves from the competition. That’s what Maximus is for.
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