(and I'm not talking about the pot roast no one will eat.)
If you are thinking about buying some new appliances – hold that thought just a bit longer. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 included $300 million for rebates to buyers of energy-efficient Energy Star appliances – but the program won’t launch until the fall. The ARRA will offer rebates between $50 and $200 towards the purchase of energy efficient refrigerators, dishwashers and other appliances. And unlike the “Cash for Clunkers” program, you will not need to trade in your old appliances to get the rebate.
I had no idea, but appliances account for about 17% of your home’s energy use, with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers at the top of the list. With energy costs always going up, it makes sense to buy energy efficient appliances! And the rebate program makes it even more affordable.
Why the wait til the fall, you ask? Well, each state will write its own rules for the rebate program, which then need to be reviewed by the Department of Energy. All this is expected to happen in late fall – which could mean rebate-qualified appliances in your home for the Thanksgiving holidays. (Remember those Maytag commercials with the big red bow on a washing machine? I used to think they were silly. Now that I spend half my day doing laundry, it makes sense!)
Since the rebates will be handled on a state by state basis, check with your state energy office for details before buying. A list of state energy offices is here.
And it may be easier than you think to get rid of our old appliance…in addition to selling it on Craigslist – you may get more money and less hassle by recycling it! There are recycling programs – that offer you $25-$50 for your old appliance – across the country. To see if your state utility offers a recycling program for your appliances (or to help get one started), visit http://www.arcaincutility.com/, JACO Environmental, or http://www.csgrp.com/.
Comments