Ambient Report — April 14, 2026

⚠️ = Carried forward from last available data. PPI updates monthly; latest FRED data may be delayed.

LME Cash Settlement: $12,820.50/mt (2026-04-13)

Copper continues its upward pressure, moving ▲ 5.5% week-over-week.
Copper is up roughly 39% from the last published monthly average (estimate based on last available monthly data).

Why it matters: Copper is in everything — line sets, coils, wiring.
When copper rises, your distributor cost on condensers, air handlers, and
refrigerant line sets follows within 30-60 days. If you're quoting jobs today,
factor in where copper will be when you actually install.

Recent Trading Days:

Regular Gasoline (National): $4.118/gal
-0.5% WoW (was $4.140) | +29.3% YoY (was $3.184)
Source: AAA (2026-04-14)

On-Highway Diesel (National): $5.650/gal
+0.1% WoW (was $5.646) | +57.9% YoY (was $3.579)
Source: AAA (2026-04-14)

WTI Crude Oil: $97.10/bbl
Source: Trading Economics (2026-04-14)

Why it matters: Fuel costs hit two ways — fleet operating cost and supplier
surcharges. Distributors pass through fuel surcharges when diesel spikes, and your
service trucks burn through gas on every call. Track these to adjust your flat-rate
book pricing and decide whether to push for fuel surcharges in commercial contracts.

PPI tracks what manufacturers charge at the factory gate. When these indices rise,
equipment price increases from OEMs are coming 30-90 days later.

Some PPI data is carried forward from the last successful collection.
PPI updates monthly. New data typically publishes mid-month.

Why it matters: Rising PPI for HVAC equipment and steel are leading indicators.
When you see these tick up, expect manufacturer price increase letters within 30-90 days.
Use PPI trends to justify price adjustments to customers before the letters land.

R-410A: Production phase-out is now in effect (as of Jan 1, 2025 for new
residential split systems). No new R-410A equipment is being manufactured.
Existing stock can still be installed and serviced. Pricing has been climbing
steadily — current street prices are $40-$75/lb retail, trending toward R-22
territory as supply tightens. If you service older R-410A systems, stock up now.

R-454B (Solstice N41 / XL41): The replacement for R-410A in new residential
systems. Supply remains tight with prices around $17-$20/lb for a 20-lb cylinder
(~$345-$400/jug at retail). Some suppliers have reported prices above $700/jug
in constrained markets. Honeywell and Chemours have both announced price
increases on R-454B in 2025, adding $2-4/lb to costs.

R-32: Used in some ductless and VRV systems (Daikin, Mitsubishi). More
available and less expensive than R-454B, but limited to specific equipment lines.

Action item: Price your refrigerant recovery and recharge services based on
today's replacement cost, not last year's. R-410A will never be cheaper than it
is right now.

For the first time since ACHR News began tracking, we have a manufacturer decrease.

Sources: ACHR News — April 2026,
ACHR News — March 2026,
Plumbing & Mechanical — April 2026

Action item: Cross-reference this list against your distributor price sheets.
If you haven't updated your flat-rate book since February, you're eating margin
on every job.

If you’re not 100% ready to file your 2025 return by tomorrow, remember you still have options. You can file Form 4868 for an automatic extension to October 15, 2026, but the extension only gives you more time to file—not more time to pay. To avoid penalties and interest, make a reasonable payment with your extension; a common safe move is to pay at least last year’s total tax (or 110% if your income is higher), then true it up once everything is finalized. And don’t forget: along with individual 1040s, April 15 is also the due date for first-quarter 2026 estimated tax payments and most calendar-year C corporations and 1041s

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