Indiana is planning a mail-in rebate program this spring to help residents replace old, inefficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment with new efficient units.

The program will provide Indiana homeowners with a rebate up to $500 when they purchase an Energy Star-rated furnace or heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) system. The rebate could be as high as $1,000 if a Geothermal Heat Pump is purchased.

The program began Feb. 1 and will continue until funds are depleted. Eligible products include:

• Gas furnaces - $300 (92% annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating or greater)
• Gas boilers - $500
• Air conditioners - $150
• Air source heat pumps - $500
• Geothermal heat pumps - $1,000

HVAC vendors will be responsible for proper disposal of old units.

The program is one of 56 State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Programs, popularly known as Cash for Appliances, that are being set up in the United States and six U.S. territories with the help of federal stimulus money.

Indiana will receive about $6.1 million of the nearly $300 million in stimulus funding available nationwide from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

For more information on the Cash for Appliances program, visit the Indiana Office of Energy Development Web site or call 317-232-8939.