The HVAC incentives are in place and ready to be claimed. So what keeps business owners and homeowners from earning cash for upgrading their HVAC equipment? Just a few questions, usually. And we have answers.

“If you’re interested in getting a rebate from POWER MOVES or your electric co-op, your first step is to call your energy adviser,” said POWER MOVES Energy Efficiency Programs Manager Laura Matney. “Your energy advisor can help you make sure you qualify and give you advice about choosing equipment. Some can even recommend contractors.”

After that conversation, you’re well on your way. If your upgrade qualifies, your next steps are as follows:

1. Purchase and install your qualified equipment.
2. Fill out the rebate application.
3. Submit your invoice, an AHRI certificate, and a heat loss/heat gain calculation from your contractor.
4. Wait for your rebate to roll in while you enjoy your more efficiently comfortable home or business.

“If you’ve given us all we asked for with the application, we can usually look over your application within two weeks,” Matney said. “And you get your check by the third week.”

One thing to note is that we’ve raised the minimum standards for new geothermal units for residential members.

“We did that because the ENERGY STAR minimum standards changed,” Matney said. “When we went back and looked at the geothermal units we had provided incentives on, we found they were way above our minimum standards, so we didn’t think that would cause a hardship for any of our members.”

It does mean, however, that you need to make sure you use our 2013 rebate form.

“We won’t be able to honor applications using last year’s forms,” Matney said.

And dangit—we want to give you rebates. So please look closely at your application, and make sure you start the process by talking to your local energy advisor. Did we mention that?

It’s the surest first step to getting that check.