Air Conditioner and Heat Pump Incentives
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Air conditioner and air source heat pump rebates
If your cooling system is older than 10 years, you have frequent service problems and/or you see your utility bills going up, it is time to consider installing a new unit. Install a more efficient system and get a rebate from $50 to $1,600.
Columbia Water & Light wants to pay you back for your increased energy efficiency. Due to the increased costs of higher SEER units, the amount of the rebate offered to you also goes up.
opens in a new windowClick to expand air conditioner and heat pump rebate chart.
Participation steps:
- Funding: If you need help financing your project, check out our low-interest loan program.
- Application: Complete the opens in a new windowAir Conditioner/Air Source Heat Pump Rebate Application. Rebates are offered on a first come, first served basis to electric customers, as funding is available each fiscal year.
- Paid receipt: Submit the rebate application with a copy of the paid receipt for the unit. The receipt must list the model numbers for the condenser, evaporator coil and any furnace or air handler listed in the AHRI Directory. Check the opens in a new windowAHRI Directory for SEER rating confirmation before completing the purchase of a new unit. Sometimes the manufacturer’s SEER rating can be rated higher than the unit can actually perform.
- Permits: A copy of the final mechanical permit from the City of Columbia Building/Site Development must be submitted along with the application. These permits are usually obtained by the contractor.
- Sizing: Columbia Water & Light reserves the right to deny a rebate for a unit that is oversized for a building. Either your contractor or the utility can help you with purchasing a properly sized air conditioning system.
- Deadlines: The rebate application form and receipts must be submitted to Columbia Water & Light within six months of the air conditioner unit’s installation. Incomplete or incorrect applications will have 30 days to provide the correct information or risk losing their place in the rebate funding process.
- Verification: Columbia Water & Light reserves the right to inspect the installed equipment and perform combustion safety testing on all applicable appliances in the home before the rebate payment is issued.
Heat pump discounts
Heat pumps are more efficient than air conditioning units, which helps the Utility save electricity during the summer when electric prices are high. Columbia passes these savings to customers by offering premium heat pump rates during the summer. Visit our opens in a new windowResidential Heat Pump Rate page on Como.gov for more detailed rate information. The discounted rate is applied October through May. Read below to see if you may be eligible.
Eligibility requirements:
- Be a Columbia Water & Light electric customer.
- Have a working heat pump (rated SEER 15) installed.
- Building must have a minimum of R-50 insulation in the ceiling and at least R-19 insulation in floors next to unheated areas like crawl spaces. Duct work in unheated areas must also be insulated. If you think you need more attic insulation, contact Utility Services and schedule an assessment to see if you qualify for rebates.
- Heat pumps must heat at least 50 percent of conditioned air space.
Ground source heat pump rebate
Ground source heat pumps use up to 50 percent less electricity, which means more savings on your utilities. A $300 per ton rebate is available to Columbia Water & Light residential and commercial customers retrofitting an existing/new ground source heat pump system.
Eligibility requirements:
- Both retrofits and new construction must meet building energy efficiency requirements, as specified in the opens in a new windowGround Source Heat Pump Rebate Policy.
- Residential ground source heat pump systems are limited to a maximum of 10 tons. Commercial systems must be less than 50 tons.
Participation steps:
- Funding: If you need help financing your project, check out our low-interest loan program.
- Application: Complete the opens in a new windowGround Source Heat Pump Rebate Application. The application includes a checklist of items you will need to receive a rebate. Rebates are offered on a first come, first served basis to electric customers as funding is available each fiscal year.
- Paid receipt: Obtain a copy of the paid receipt that lists the model numbers for the system and any additional installed equipment, as listed in the AHRI Directory. Check the opens in a new windowAHRI Directory for EER rating confirmation before completing the purchase of a new unit. Sometimes the manufacturer’s EER rating can be rated higher than the unit can actually perform.
- Permits: Obtain a copy of the final mechanical permit from the opens in a new windowCity of Columbia Building/Site Development.
- Sizing: Columbia Water & Light reserves the right to deny a rebate for a unit that is oversized for a building. Either your contractor or the utility can help you with purchasing a properly sized GSHP system.
- Deadlines: The rebate application form and receipts must be submitted to Columbia Water & Light within six months of installation. Incomplete or incorrect applications will have 30 days to provide the correct information or risk losing their place in the rebate funding process.
- Verification: Columbia Water & Light reserves the right to inspect the installed equipment before the rebate payment is issued.