In 2018 there were 840,000 new single-family homes completed. According to the Census Bureau, the majority were built with slab foundations, air conditioning, a forced-air furnace and use gas as the heating fuel. However, the percentages vary greatly for these characteristics when the Northeast, Midwest, South and West regions of the country are viewed separately.
The HVAC characteristics are noted below. Part 1 of this article discusses the foundation characteristics.
The national statistics show that 93% of new single-family homes completed in 2018 had air conditioning. However, 100% of homes built in the South had air conditioning as did 81% of new homes built in the Northeast, 94% of homes built in the Midwest and 82% of homes built in the West. Overall the percentage of homes built with air conditioning has grown in the US from 85.5% in 2000 to 93.7% in 2018.
60% of new homes were built to use gas as the heating fuel.
Heating Systems
Nationally of the new homes completed in 2018, 58% had a forced-air furnace and 40% a heat pump. In the Northeast, Midwest and West over 79% were built with a forced-air furnace. In the South only 37% were built with a forced air furnace. Most homes in the South were built with an air-source heat pump. The complete results can be found at Characteristics of New Housing.
There were 2% of homes built with either no heating system or electric baseboard, panel, radiant heat, a space heater, a floor or wall furnace, solar and other types or heating systems.
Heating Fuel
The type of heating fuel is also different based on the region of the county. Across all regions, 60% of new homes completed in 2018 were built to use gas as the heating fuel and 39% were built to use electricity. In the Northeast, Midwest and West the majority—over 80%– were built for gas. In the South only 39% were built for gas as the heating fuel. Sixty-one percent were built in the South to use electricity as the heating fuel. The definition of gas includes natural gas, and bottled or liquified petroleum gas, including propane.
More on this topic was covered in Air Conditioning and Heating Systems in New Homes, an article by The NAHB Eye On Housing.
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Go to Part 1: Foundations of Single-Family Homes Completed in 2018