The Homestar, or Cash for Caulkers, program is on a fast track in Congress to provide rebates directly to the consumer for up to $1,500 for single energy-efficient upgrades or $3,000 for more extensive whole-house upgrades.
In the Silver Star program consumers receive the rebates up to 50% of the purchase price, up to $1,500 directly from the vendor at the time of purchase. The vendor then will be reimbursed in similar means as the Cash for Clunker program that provided growth for the auto industry. Targeting sales of insulation, duct sealing, water heaters, HVAC units, windows, roofing and doors that are energy efficient is the prime focus of the Silver Star program. Consumers can select a combination of single unit upgrades for a maximum rebate of $3,000.
The Gold Star program is a home retrofit with energy audit that is designed to achieve energy savings of 20% in the home and the homeowner is eligible for up to $3,000 in rebates.
The Homestar program under the administration of President Barack Obama will pump nearly 6 billion dollars into the economy. The hopes of the bill is to spur construction job employment while at the same time emphasizing energy efficiency to reduce our carbon footprint. President Obama recently addressed a group of women in Georgia with a comment that discouraged their husbands from performing the work, “He’ll be stubborn — he’ll tell you he can do it — but don’t listen to him.”
A similar 300 million dollar federal program for appliances is set to start March 26, 2010 in Ohio. Consumers can reserve a rebate amount by calling a toll-free number in this Cash for Appliances program, then have 72 hours to redeem the rebate.
Ohio is also the leader in a $5 billion federal program that provides weatherization upgrades in homes of low income wage earners. Ohio upgraded 6,814 homes as of December, 2009.
Tags: air conditioning, Cash for Appliances, Cash for Caulkers, consumers, duct sealing, Gold Star, heating, Home Star, Homestar, HVAC, Ohio, saving energy, Silver Star, water heaters
This is a good initiative and reward system to encourage people to use energy-efficient products. Looking forward to this new bill.
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