Appliance Rebates
Don’t be fooled by the federally required EnergyGuide Usage label and the ENERGYSTAR label. Federal law requires that EnergyGuide labels be placed on all new refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, dishwashers, clothes washers, central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces and boilers. The ENERGYSTAR label identifies appliances that operate with the highest energy efficiency. Sometimes the ENERGYSTAR logo will be on an EnergyGuide Label if that appliance qualifies.
Clothes Washing Machine Rebate
It’s all about the MEF or Modified Energy Factor and the WF or Water Factor (not Wrestling Federation!). The MEF is a measure of the energy used during the washing process including machine energy, water heating energy and dryer energy. The higher the MEF the more efficient the clothes washer. The Water Factor is the measure of the gallons of water used per cycle. The lower the water factor the more water efficient. Our rebates are as follows: If you have an electric water heater
$30 for ENERGYSTAR with MEF 2.0 – 2.19 and WF of 6.0 or lower
$50 for ENERGYSTAR with MEF 2.20-2.45 and WF of 6.0 or lower
$70 for ENERGYSTAR with MEF 2.46 or higher and WF of 6.0 or lower
If you have a propane water heater the rebate is $20.
The machine must still be ENERGYSTAR with MEF 2.0 and WF or 6.0
Looking for more information or research visit www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances
Refrigerator and Freezer Rebates
The rebate for ENERGYSTAR Refrigerators and Freezers of 7.75 cubic feet or greater is $15.
The Appliance Decommissioning Program ended September 1, 2011. You can still perform the following to make sure your old refrigerator or freezer do not make their way back onto the grid:
1. Cut the power cord
2. Remove or smash the control thermostat
3. Cut door gaskets
Water Heater Rebates
Next to heating your home, heating your water consumes the most energy. It is estimated that 25% of your electric bill is used to heat water for your daily needs. For water heater first look at the Energy Factor (EF) which is a measure of its overall energy efficiency and is based on the amount of hot water produced per unit of fuel consumed over a typical day. The higher the EF the more efficient the water heater. Also, look at the size you really need, the warranty and the First Hour Rating (the amount of hot water in gallons the heater can supply per hour).
For our Energy Factor requirements see the Appliance Rebate Form
Looking for more information or research visit www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances
Check out the green version of Consumer Reports for rankings of the most efficient household appliances www.toptenusa.org
Other Water Heating Technologies
Check out this article about Tankless Hot Water Heaters: The Truth About Tankless Water Heaters
Heat Pump Hot Water Heaters are still being evaluated for our Northwest climate. Check this BPA site for status and information.
