our opinions: ADVICE FROM AN EXPERT
In The
Comfort
Zone
By BRETT HOBSON
CEO Comfort Experts
Brett Hobson
An Offer You Shouldn’t Refuse
Act fast to take advantage of a utility company rebate on a new A/C and heating
system; funds are limited and are provided on first-come basis
M
34
any of you get to choose your electric provid-
er, and for those that do, there is another
company involved in making the lights turn on in
your home. That company is Oncor and it began a
rebate program in early February that can save you
money on the installation of a new energy-efficient
heating and air-conditioning system in your home.
Oncor provides the operational electrical equip-
ment to one-third of the state of Texas, encompass-
ing 120 different counties and 420 communities.
The reporters always tell us how high the summer
peak usage is on really hot days and how close we
are to maxing out the capabilities of our current
power grid. To help offset the increases in power
usage in the summer months, and all year round,
Oncor has a program that will pay you up to $1,500
to replace your current HVAC system with a high-
efficiency system that features a 16 SEER rating or
higher. SEER, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, is
a ratio of the amount of cooling produced (BTU)
divided by the amount of electricity (watts) used.
The higher the SEER, the greater the air-conditioner’s
efficiency. Older air-conditioning systems have
a SEER rating of 10 or under. It’s a real savings that
keeps on paying you back season after season. By
replacing your current system with a high-efficiency
one, in peak hours it can cut your energy use by up
to half.
How do you get the rebate? It’s easy; just choose
a participating provider that implements energy-
saving projects like insulation and heating and cool-
ing upgrades. I am proud to say Comfort Experts is
one of the preferred providers in the Oncor rebate
program. And unlike many rebate programs, you
don’t have to wait weeks or even months to get your
cash back on your purchase. After signing a simple
form that your installer will present to you, we
deduct the rebate amount from your new system off
your bill right on the spot.
The program runs through most of the year;
however, in years past the rebate fund has been
overtaxed and some were not able to get their rebate
because the fund was tapped out. And not everyone
can get this great rebate from Oncor, even if you act
fast. Those who receive their electricity through an
electric co-operative or a municipal utility like the
cities of Weatherford or Denton can’t apply for the
rebate.
If you’re thinking about a new system anyway, or
if your system barely made it through last summer,
this is a great time to have someone else pay for a
portion of a new high-efficiency system. You know
it’s going to be a long hot summer. Why not invest
now in a new system that will work smarter, not
harder, to keep your family comfortable all year
long?