KTRV Fox 12 Cash For Clunkers Now For Appliances

Cash For Clunkers Now For Appliances

We always hear how energy efficiency pays, but now it may actually put cash in your hand.

"The government's been looking at some opportunities to enter a rebate program," said Gordon Harris, Lowe's operations manager in Meridian.

The Home Star Program is a push by President Obama urging Americans to green up their homes a bit by making it worth their while.

"If you decided to retrofit your whole house, to greatly reduce your energy use, you'd be eligible for a rebate of up to $3,000 dollars," President Obama said while in Georgia this week.

Of course, not everyone wants to remodel right now, but maybe your dishwasher isn't cutting it any more or you refrigerator is on it's last leg. Now, states are coming up with stimulus money for a cash for clunkers program for you old fridge.

"It's actually going to help consumers have opportunities to get cash back on appliances in exchange for purchasing appliances that are energy star rated," said Harris.

This month, Idaho plans to start handing money out from a $1.3 million program to recycle your clunker of a clothes washer.

It's good news for business -- and customers -- at Lowe's and other appliance stores.

"A majority of dishwashers are now energy star rated. It depends on the appliance that your purchasing, but there are a lot more coming out, and a lot more available out to the public," said Harris.

The same goes for Solar Concepts.

The Meridian business makes a living off of energy efficiency, promoting natural light in the home, and paying a mere $20 a month for their own utility bill.

If you do the same -- that is, buy the technology that promises a greener home --  the government is saying they'll pick up half of the cost.

"It's really helped up the with the 30 percent tax credit. It saves people an average of 150 dollars of the costs of a Solatube," said Tina Turley, owner of Solar Concepts.

The plan still has to pass congress, and Idaho still has to set a start date for the rebates.

"I see it being huge for many businesses," said Turley.

If you need to replace that old appliance, the best advice for now is to wait.  You won't be eligible for a rebate until the program officially starts. That exact date is still up in the air, but the Department of Energy puts the start date at the end of March.

There's a list of frequently asked questions, and how much you can get back on each appliance, at www.energy.idaho.gov.