Tucson Electric Power customers can enjoy cool savings with instant rebates of up to $575 on the purchase of a high-efficiency AC system through our Efficient Home Program.
Air conditioning accounts for about 15 percent of a typical home’s energy use. Inefficient AC systems waste energy and money and sacrifice comfort.
Replacing your older, inefficient air conditioning and heat pump unit with a new ENERGY STAR®-certified system can reduce your energy use and cooling costs month after month.
Customers can receive a rebate for the purchase and installation of a high-efficiency unit with early retirement of an existing system or evaporative cooler. TEP also offers rebates for duct sealing and advanced AC tune-ups that improve the energy efficiency of your cooling system.
To qualify for the rebates, all work must be completed by an authorized Efficient Home Program contractor. These technicians follow specific quality guidelines for the testing, inspection and installation of equipment by using a computerized diagnostic and quality assurance system.
“Before contractors are approved to participate in the program, we review their license standings and Better Business Bureau ratings, and we interview them to ensure they can meet our program standards,” said Tammy McKay, TEP Program Manager for Residential Energy Efficiency. “Once contractors are approved, their technicians receive training to certify they are capable of meeting our standards.”
Authorized contractors evaluate a home’s size and then will recommend a system and options that are right for your home. They also will suggest other energy efficiency options appropriate for the building design of your home.
One way to check the efficiency of your AC unit is to look at its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Higher SEER numbers indicate higher efficiency. Installing a new unit with 15 SEER or higher can significantly reduce your energy use and cooling costs. If yours has a lower SEER number, you might want to consider replacing it.
When choosing a TEP-authorized contractor to do the work, it is always wise to shop around. “I recommend that customers get at least three quotes from TEP-approved contractors so that they can compare prices and get the best value,” McKay said.
Besides providing cost-savings, high-efficiency AC units more effectively control temperature and humidity, improving the comfort of your home. Since they use less energy, they also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
McKay cautions customers that the greatest energy savings can be achieved by modifying their energy use. “Even if you install a new high-efficiency unit, you still need to be mindful of your temperature settings and properly maintaining your system. Check your filters monthly and replace them if needed.”
