Plumbing Rebates DFW Homeowners Can (and Should) Take Advantage of in 2019

It’s not too late to make 2019 the year extra cash flows into your home as easily as your water supply. There are a variety of plumbing rebates plans and discounts available to area homeowners on top of the savings created by updating the systems that pipe both water and natural gas into your home and landscaping. Here’s a cornucopia of options to take advantage of this fall. 

For Natural Gas Users 

Atmos Energy ensures eligible homeowners in our area can take advantage of money-saving rebates on high-efficiency natural gas equipment — from $75 for a smart thermostat to $400 for a natural gas furnace. Any and all equipment associated with this rebate must be installed in compliance with required local, state and federal codes. (Please note these rebates are not available to residents of the city of Dallas.)  

This type of rebate is also available to local restaurants and food-service businesses and single-and multi-family homebuilders. However, keep in mind that each individual home appliance can be claimed for rebate by either the builder or the homeowner, but not both.  

Atmos also offers assistance including energy audits and free kits with water-saving devices.  

From Your Federal Government 

The top rebate program right now for water systems is WaterSense, which, in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, helps consumers make smart water choices that save money and maintain high environmental standards. Products and services that have earned the WaterSense label have been certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance. 

The WaterSense programs change periodically and some have eligibility requirements, so keep an eye on this Texas-specific website and on your city sites to see what applies to your home and/or business. In addition, the EPA maintains a WaterSense “rebate finder” database for water efficiency; just enter your location information and scroll through the results.  

In addition, the federal EnergyStar program has its own rebate finder that lists rebates in your zip code on energy efficient windows, water heaters, washing machines, commercial equipment, and more. 

From Your State Government 

Supporting both of these programs is a sales tax-free holiday for energy-efficient products, which saves you 100 percent of the sales and use taxes on items purchased over the three-day Memorial Day holiday. In Texas, this covers not only a score of EnergyStar-rated items such as air conditioners, dishwashers and lightbulbs, but also WaterSense items including showerheads, bathroom sink faucets and accessories, toilets, urinals, landscape irrigation controls, and lawn and garden products that help conserve water outdoors, from hoses to mulch to plants. If you don’t mind rolling your rebates over into 2020 and can wait until May, this may be worth your consideration.   

From Your Hometown 

Some Metroplex cities offer their own rewards for saving water and energy. Here’s a partial list. 

• Allen offers rebates on smart irrigation equipment, pressure reducing valves (PRV), rain & freeze sensors, rain barrels, low-flow toilets, and water–efficient washing machines. 
• Carrollton offers free rain & freeze sensors; an industrial, commercial, and institutional rebate program that can save commercial water customers up to half the purchase price of water-saving equipment; and a free PRV residential program. 

• Dallas offers a residential rebate to replace up to two toilets installed prior to 1994 with free high-efficiency toilets.  
• Fort Worth also offers replacement of up to two residential toilets manufactured before 1994 and using at least three gallons of water per flush; in addition, the city has free irrigation system evaluations for both homes and businesses. 
• Plano offers residents rebates for installing eligible water conservation items including rain & freeze sensors, up to three high–efficiency toilets, and/or a PRV. 

If your city isn’t listed here, check the water, public works, or utility billing sections of your city or regional water district’s website. 

Please note that any organization that mentions PRVs also immediately mentions the importance of having them installed by a qualified plumbing professional. In fact, some programs require such installation, so look into the requirements in your area, and of course just call us if you want to make sure the installation is done right.  

Further, when you’re purchasing your updated equipment at your local hardware store, don’t forget to ask if the manufacturers are offering any rebates or other promotions.  

Finally, any time you make energy-saving updates to your home or property, don’t forget to look into any tax credits you might qualify for. (And save those receipts!) Along with your accountant, resources to check include: 

• Texas State Energy Conservation Office 
• The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency 
• The federal government’s EnergyStar program 

A Little Something Extra 

It’s true that your electrical and/or solar systems are not pipe-based, but in the interest of providing a well-rounded overview, here are a few more cash-saving ideas to be aware of. 

• Oncor maintains a site that links homes, businesses and contractors with available energy rebates. (Save up to $3,000 on your A/C system, anyone?) 
• The city of Denton’s GreenSense incentive program offers free home energy audits and rebates on qualifying equipment such as solar hot-water heaters. 
• Texas electric companies including Gexa and Reliant are providing free smart thermostats.  
• Save money and find rebates on select Rinnai tankless water heaters using thier rebate finder tool.

If information on these readily available rebates has gotten you in the mood for home improvement (as well as saving both energy and money), please contact us at Horizon Plumbing. We’ll be happy to help with any evaluations and installations.  

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