The U.S. benchmark natural gas price was lower this summer than last, offering HVAC businesses a fresh data point as they prepare for heating season.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Henry Hub spot price averaged $2.93 per million British thermal units from June through August 2026, down 6% from the same period in 2025. EIA also expects U.S. dry natural gas production to reach a record annual average in 2026.
That is useful context for contractors discussing gas furnaces, dual-fuel systems and heat pumps with customers. It is not a prediction that a particular household’s winter gas bill will fall 6%. Retail utility rates, delivery charges, weather and household consumption all affect what customers pay.
The commercial takeaway is to keep fuel-cost comparisons current without turning one summer wholesale-price reading into a winter savings promise. Contractors comparing heating options should use local utility rates and the customer’s actual equipment and usage assumptions.
For OEMs and distributors, the EIA release is a market signal to watch alongside winter forecasts and equipment orders, rather than evidence of a change in furnace demand by itself.
