Archuleta County homeowners and renters should be aware that Colorado’s Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) program has set a new, earlier application deadline: Aug. 1.
That’s sooner than many residents anticipated, and with up to $14,000 available per household, there’s a strong incentive to meet the deadline.
Eligible upgrades include cold-climate heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and electrical panel upgrades. The program is income-qualified, with limits up to 150 percent of the area median income — higher than many residents expect. For Archuleta County, that translates to approximately $118,000 for a two-person household and $147,000 for a four-person household.
According to La Plata Electric Association (LPEA), the average medium-sized home switching from propane to a heat pump can expect to save approximately $1,000 per year on heating costs. Homes switching from electric resistance heating stand to save even more — around $1,400 per year. Those savings add up fast, especially when paired with available rebates.
How to apply before the deadline
Residents are encouraged to move quickly through the following steps:
1. Check eligibility. Full program details, income limits and rebate requirements are available through the Colorado Energy Office at energyoffice.colorado.gov/home-energy-rebates.
2. Contact a HEAR-certified contractor. Contractor capacity is limited. The following contractors are still accepting HEAR clients:
• Pinnacle Heat Pumps (pinnacleheatpumps.com) — ducted and ductless heat pumps.
• Shaw Solar (shawsolar.com) — ductless heat pumps and electrical.
• Honest Abe’s Electric LLC (honestabeselectric.com) — panel upgrades and wiring.
• SolarWorks! LLC (durangosolarworks.com) — panel upgrades and wiring.
• Zero Homes (zerohomes.com) — all project types; Denver-based but works with local installers.
3. Submit your application by Aug. 1. Your contractor will provide a submission link. Once approved, which may take several weeks, applicants have 120 days to complete their project.
Financing options
Residents who need help covering remaining project costs after rebates can explore LPEA’s on-bill financing program, which offers below-market interest rates with no upfront payment required.
Questions?
The Colorado Energy Office operates a HEAR helpline at (866) 336-0016 or COenergyrebates@guidehouse.com. Local coaching and guidance is available through 4CORE’s regional energy coach, Erika Brown, at erika@fourcore.org or fourcore.org.
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