“These rebates will help families make the transition to more efficient appliances, making purchases that will directly stimulate the economy and create jobs,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
What appliances and how much you’ll get
Consumers will be able to get rebates through a third-party provider working for the state when they replace appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, electric heat pump water heaters, high-efficiency gas storage water heaters and clothes washers, according to Ohio’s plan.
How much will be available varies by appliance, with $100 set for fridges, dishwashers and gas water heaters, $150 for clothes washers and $250 for electric water heaters. About 89,335 appliances are targeted by the state to be replaced.
It may not be a lot of money, but it’s enough to make Fairfield residents Gary and Latisha Boyer consider holding off on buying a new fridge until after the New Year. The couple have been researching appliances for several months and were writing down prices at the Lowes store at Bridgewater Falls to add to their spreadsheet.
“I read about it online and we are planning what to buy when it becomes available,” Latisha said. “We don’t want to buy now and miss out on $100. That’s a lot of money.”
She said they are keeping track of utility company rebates and trying to stack them as much as they can.
While some utilities, such as DP&L, offer $25 to recycle old refrigerators and freezers, Duke Energy Ohio doesn’t have a small appliance recycling program. However, it does offer a SmartSaver program with rebates up to $400 for existing homes and $600 to homebuilders for installing more energy-efficient air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces.
At local Sears stores, team members from the Blue Appliance Group can search their database using a zip code for existing rebates and will include information on the state’s program once it is finalized, said Larry Costello, spokesperson.
Rebates also can be viewed online at sears.com/energystar.
“We do think that this is going to be a good opportunity for customers who are interested in taking maybe an energy hog appliance off the grid,” he said. “I think this entire program is also good in that it sheds light on the need to recycle these appliances and take them off the grid altogether.”
Several states are requiring old appliances be recycled to receive the rebates, preventing old fridges from going into the garage for extra food storage. As Ohio’s plan reads now, old appliances will be required to be disposed of in accordance with federal and state regulations. There is no limit written into the plan for how many rebates each household can receive.
For more information, visit development.ohio.gov/recovery/EnergyStar Program.htm.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.
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