Thursday, November 5, 2009

Thrifty Tip - Cash for Appliances Program

The federal government is going to offer a cash rebate program for appliances. Details are still being worked out in different states and should be available sometime during November or December. There are different categories of appliances that will be eligible for the program, and an Energy Star appliance must be purchased to replace the existing one.

The first category are those appliances which consume the most energy in the home, such as furnaces, room air and central air conditioners, and air and geothermal heat pumps.

The next group of appliances deals with appliances that never get turned off. This would include items like refrigerators, freezer and water heaters. These appliances don’t use quit as much power as the HVAC appliances, but because they are constantly on, the amount of power adds up.

The last group will include an added bonus. These appliances will not only save on the cost of power but they will also help to conserve water. This group includes clothes washers and dishwashers.

Each state will vary. The guidelines I provided are for Virginia. I did not see stoves being offered in the program, but it may change.

For more information about your state program, do a Google search for "Cash for Appliances" plus the name of your state.