Pick a State for Energy Efficiency Rebates!
Remember the Cash-for-Clunkers program? For a while, it had everyone trading in their old gas-guzzling cars for newer, more efficient models, thanks to hefty cash incentives from the government? Well, there's now a similar sort of program in place for appliances, from furnaces and air conditioners, to items for the kitchen (refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers) or the laundry room (clothes washers, and dryers).
There isn't a trade-in involved. Instead, just buy an Energy Star rated appliance that meets program requirements, and you can receive up to $300 cash back in the form of a government rebate.
The program, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is offering hundreds of millions of dollars in rebates for purchases of Energy Star high-efficiency appliances.
Here's how the rebate program works.
Instructions
1. **Check Your State**
Even though the Energy Star rebates is a federal program, it is administered locally by individual states, which each have their own rules for how the rebate process works.
So...the first thing you need to do is find out how the program works in your state. There are too many variations to provide a simple overview in this article, but be sure to understand the following:
* Which appliances are eligible for rebates
* How much of a rebate is offered
* What are the eligibility dates (when rebates begin and end)
* Where purchases have to be made (eg, in your state of residence)
* Whether there are any income criteria (eg, rebates for low income families only)
Head to www.energysavers.gov and click on the link for the State Appliance Rebate Program, in order to explore the details about your state's program.
2. **Do Your Energy Star Homework**
Energy Star is a federal government partnership program that has had considerable success in propelling the market forward for energy-efficient appliances. It is now possible to purchase a highly efficient Energy Star rated refrigerator, for instance, that uses about as much electricity as a 100W lightbulb.
Visit www.energystar.gov to learn more about the program, and to begin exploring the many options for buying new appliances that carry an Energy Star label.
3. **Do the Math**
Energy Star appliances do usually carry a premium price tag over their less efficient competitors, but often, the difference can be more than made up in operating cost savings over the years, due to lower electricity and water bills. And of course, a hefty rebate from Uncle Sam doesn't hurt either.
As a *very rough* rule of thumb, if you're replacing an appliance that is more than ten years old, the lower cost of running a high efficiency appliance will more than make up for the higher price tag.
Replacing appliances of more recent vintage may not result in the same level of savings but don't forget, there are benefits to the planet as well, as you act to 'green' your home.
You'll find calculators at energystar.gov that you can use to figure out your energy and dollar savings from switching to Energy Star appliances.
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