Save Money With the National Fuel Energy-Efficiency Rebate Program
National Fuel is an energy company that provides natural gas throughout Western New York. Its energy-efficiency rebate program is an opportunity for its residential customers to save money when they invest in high-efficiency appliances for their homes. Rebates help to offset the initial cost of the appliance, and customers save over the long term as their appliance will use less natural gas.
Rebate Criteria
Rebates are available exclusively to National Fuel customers. Available rebates and the amounts do differ in some cases depending on whether you’re simply upgrading an appliance or converting to natural gas from an alternative fuel source, such as electric, fuel oil, or propane. Rebates don’t require particular makes or models but often do require a minimum level of energy efficiency. Certain rebate categories stipulate that the product be Energy Star certified while others require a minimum AFUE, SEER, or UEF/EF.
AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency and measures the efficiency of furnaces and boilers. SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio and is used to measure the efficiency of heat pumps and air conditioners. EF stands for energy factor and is used to measure water heater efficiency, and UEF stands for uniform energy factor and is a newer metric intended to replace EF.
Hybrid Heating
Hybrid heating is an alternative to the traditional furnace and air conditioner pairing. This approach instead pairs a furnace with a heat pump. The heat pump provides air conditioning in addition to heating, and the furnace serves as an auxiliary heating system for very cold temperatures. Customers must choose a natural gas furnace with an ECM and a 95% AFUE rating and a heat pump with a 14 SEER rating. The rebate amount is $1,500 if you are converting to natural gas and $1,000 if you are upgrading. ECM stands for electronically commuted motor, which is more efficient than a traditional AC motor.
Furnaces
The furnace rebate is available to existing customers who are upgrading their furnaces. You must choose a natural gas furnace with an ECM and a 95% AFUE rating, and the rebate amount is $400.
Boilers
National Fuel offers a rebate for boilers as well and specifically hot water boilers as opposed to steam boilers. Customers must choose a hot water boiler with an AFUE rating of 90% or higher.
Water Heaters
Homeowners with a boiler have the option of choosing a system that provides their hot water as well as their heating. There is also a rebate available for customers who are upgrading their standalone natural gas water heater. The rebate for a storage-tank water heater is $75. The minimum efficiency level is 0.64 UEF or 0.67 EF, and the tank must be 55 gallons or less. The rebate for a tankless water heater is $200, and the minimum efficiency level is 0.87 UEF or 0.90 EF.
Clothes Dryers
The rebate for a natural gas clothes dryer is $50. The only requirement is that the appliance is Energy Star rated.
Thermostats
Thermostats are eligible for a $50 rebate. The only requirement is that the device has Wi-Fi support.
Tune-ups
The HVAC industry recommends a seasonal tune-up for all heating and cooling equipment. Air conditioners and heat pumps should be serviced in autumn prior to the heating season. Furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps should be serviced in spring prior to the cooling season, and with proof of this service for a furnace or boiler, National Fuel will give you a $25 rebate.
How to Claim a Rebate
National Fuel encourages customers to claim their rebates through the online portal set up for the rebate program. The portal will guide you through the process of indicating your account and the eligible appliance, answering a series of survey questions, uploading any required documents, such as a receipt for the product and a recent utility bill, and indicating how you want to get paid. More than 98% of rebate claims submitted this way are accepted, and most customers receive their money within 30 days.
Your Local Heating and Cooling Pros in Western New York
Vastola Heating & Cooling has served homeowners throughout Erie County and the surrounding areas for more than 75 years. Our team installs, services, and repairs heating and cooling systems, thermostats, indoor air quality equipment, water heaters, and generators. If you’re interested in upgrading to a high-efficiency appliance and would like to take advantage of the National Fuel energy-efficiency rebate program, call us or contact us online to schedule an in-home consultation.
