Maslow would tell you that the problem with air conditioners is that they are suffering from low self-worth. No confidence. They might be comfortable, safe, and well-fed, but heat pumps are kicking their butts! It might be time for a dose of Zoloft™.

The July unitary shipment numbers from the AHRI came out recently, and looked pretty good. Overall, things are better than this time last year, and only a few percentage points off for YTD shipments. Monthly a/c shipments were up about 6 percent, but it was the heat pumps that really shot up like a skyrocket - 17 percent.

I don’t know about you, but I have detected a steady rise in the popularity of heat pumps in the last few years. And no wonder; they are attractive, hold steady jobs, and tend to save more money in the bank for future needs.

Air conditioners, on the other hand, are suffering from a general malaise, are sometimes subject to recession and depression, and they don’t have a COP to keep them company, as do heat pumps. Air conditioners will bounce back; it’s just a matter of getting them some professional help.

Remember, depression is simply a mental illness, a disease like any other, and is nothing to be ashamed of. In the meantime, if you have an air conditioner you are trying to sell, spend some extra time with it, nurture it, slap it on the back, and say, “Job well done, my friend!”

It will also help if you don’t lavish too much praise on their sibling heat pumps.