so, if you purchase any of the following within the scheduled period, you get cash monies back from the state:

- Refrigerators
- Freezers
- Clothes washers
- Dishwashers
- Gas storage water heaters
- Gas tankless water heaters
- Electric heat pump water heaters
- Solar water heaters
- Gas furnaces
- Central air conditioners

http://www.energysavers.gov/financial/rebates/state_NC.cfm

my particular question is whether or not the $200 state rebate is worth me putting in gas service, since i don't actually have that right now...we are strongly considering getting a tankless heater for the house in the very near future since the federal credit is 30% of the purchase price through the end of 2010, but if the $200 would cover the cost of putting in gas AND gas is more efficient than electric for the tankless heater AND our gas bill would be less than or equal to the electricity we would use for an electric tankless, i'd go gas

i'm also concerned about having some ugly tank on my property

4/23/2010 9:24:30 AM

i think you also get some credit or deduction or something on your taxes for energy efficient appliance purchase. like income taxes, not the current rebate thing. although i don't know if the current rebate cancels out that credit...

4/23/2010 9:30:48 AM

the rebate and credit are independent, i think

though i just read on the energy star website that you can only get the tax credit if you put in a gas tankless, not electric

http://energystar.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/energystar.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2421&p_created=1145980706&p_sid=ibQEz7-j&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_srch=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD0xMCwxMCZwX3Byb2RzPTMxMiZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9MS4zMTImcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PStHYXMgK09pbCArUHJvcGFuZQ!!&p_li=&p_topview=1

4/23/2010 9:39:15 AM

There isn't such a thing as a residential natural gas tank, it's only delivered by gas lines right? Unless I am mistaken (entirely possible) it is way to difficult to compress natural gas to deliver it to homes via tank fills. Running gas lines=$texas unless you are able to work out a deal with the gas company, which usually means converting most of your appliances to gas.

LP (propane) is available and is stored in tanks outside of homes. Typically you can lease or buy the tank with the difference being a leased tank cost more per btu than one you buy (so if you don't use enough, you're better off leasing). Propane is usually substantially more than natural gas per btu.

I doubt 200 is going to justify the installation. As for the savings, it is going to depend on the energy rating of your current hot water heater, the rating of the new tankless you are considering, and your typical hot water usage.

4/23/2010 10:01:16 AM

I think you've just got to check with the gas company to see how much it will cost and what options are available to you (tank, underground line from street, etc.)

Don't forget the PSNC $100 credit, although you might not qualify if the gas service is being put in place solely to support the water heater and the old water heater is electric.

http://www.psncenergy.com/en/save-energy-and-money/appliance-rebates/default.htm

4/23/2010 10:03:10 AM

Often the gas company will waive or reduce hookup fees if you connect 2-3 appliances at the same time. My parents added a natural gas line to the grill when they went with gas logs and that counted. I would call the gas company and ask about the cost and any deal if you connected multiple hookups/appliances. I'm guessing a new furnace isn't an option for you but dryer, grill, or gas logs might be.

4/23/2010 10:06:40 AM

it'll take a long time to make your money back

4/23/2010 10:07:01 AM

well, it wasn't so much that i expected this to be a cost-free venture...more than i wanted to convert and minimize cost through any route possible

contacted PSNC and the main gas line is 1000 feet from my house, and they only allow 100 feet per customer of free line, so the houses between myself and the main line would need to sign up, as well (i'm not even sure there ARE 10 houses there, though the PSNC rep seemed to think it would pass a feasibility study)

i guess my other option is a buried LP (because i'm not having some big-ass tank sitting next to my house), but i'm betting that's pricey, too

i don't understand why electric tankless aren't valid for the tax credit or rebate...i mean, most of them have energy factors higher than the gas tankless minimum of 0.82

4/23/2010 10:21:17 AM

Quote :

"because i'm not having some big-ass tank sitting next to my house"

just build a fence or plant some bushes. it's not that big of a deal.

4/23/2010 10:40:59 AM

yeah, but i like my yard and current landscaping and there's no place i can think of that i wouldn't mind it sitting...also, doesn't it have to be a certain distance from your house?

anyway, we'll see

4/23/2010 10:50:17 AM

^^^I think the reason why they don't offer the credit is that electric tankless heaters is that they are pushing for the even higher efficiency electric heat pump water heaters (which get the rebate and credit AFAIK), if you are looking to go the electric route. See this handy-dandy chart:

http://www.aceee.org/Consumerguide/WH_LCC_1107.pdf

[Edited on April 23, 2010 at 11:12 AM. Reason : ]

4/23/2010 11:09:26 AM

^ my one concern with the heat pump is that it still requires the tank...right? it's just a unit separate from the tank

my tank's about 10 years old and while it hasn't show any problems YET, i was hoping to use this as an excuse to head it off at the pass on the trail of catastrophic failure

4/23/2010 12:54:21 PM

i'd just run to failure

[Edited on April 23, 2010 at 1:03 PM. Reason : what do you mean "catastrophic failure"? the heating elements will probably go out. nbd]

4/23/2010 12:55:14 PM

Doesn't the newly purchased, Energy Star appliance have to replace an older appliance to qualify for the credit? I think that's important info to include here... How do they determine that anyway?

I need a washer/dryer, but I'll be buying them without replacing something old, so I don't think I would qualify.

4/23/2010 1:15:12 PM

catastrophic being a major leak of some kind...i actually think one of the elements may be pretty heavily coated with deposits by now, but aside from a higher-than-i-think-it-should-be power bill (when my heater's set at 120°F, no less, and there's only two of us using it), i have no evidence to support this theory

i don't know, some things just seem like they're better to anticipate and avoid in the first place, especially when you're willing to do it already

*shrug*

4/23/2010 1:16:13 PM

Quote :

"Doesn't the newly purchased, Energy Star appliance have to replace an older appliance to qualify for the credit? I think that's important info to include here... How do they determine that anyway? I need a washer/dryer, but I'll be buying them without replacing something old, so I don't think I would qualify."

technically, yes

however, they don't check to make sure you're replacing anything. you just have to sign a paper certifying that you replaced an old appliance and disposed of (or maybe it says recycled) it in a legal manner

4/23/2010 1:20:07 PM