We decided to start doing more to make our townhouse more energy efficient. Well, there's just so much you can do for a small townhouse so we started with the lightbulbs and an air conditioner a couple of years ago. Then, a couple of weeks ago we went to Costco and we found TWO 52" Hunter ceiling fans with lights and on the box it had a sticker "Energy Star".
Why did we start getting to be energy efficient wise guys?
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Our Hawaiian Electric bill was almost one hundred eighty dollars
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And....our electric bill will KEEP climbing
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We needed to reduce our energy consumption. We also found that we were leaving lights on unnecessarily
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Our old ceiling fans were cheapy small ones that were really doing a bunch of nothing. (and the new ones sure pump out some wind and look pretty too)
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We changed the ugly flourescent light in the kitchen when they replaced our ceiling and put in an Energy Star Light fixture too!
Energy Star® was first created in the United States in 1992 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and it is now an international standard for energy efficient consumer products such as appliances, computer products, light fixtures, office equipment, lighting and even building materials.
There's also another BIG REASON to buy and save with energy efficient products.
Everyone in the audience roars with a "WHY"????
Well, I used to see the commercials on the television about Hawaiian Electric Company giving rebates if you purchase some appliances with the ENERGY STAR® label on it.
So, I googled Hawaiian Electric Company Rebates and up pops this page on Hawaiian Electric Rebates on Energy Star® Appliances
I saw Ceiling Fan on the list!
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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC REBATES ON OAHU (Honolulu County): |
|
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ENERGY STAR® CEILING FAN |
$40 |
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ENERGY STAR® CLOTHES WASHER |
$50 |
|
ENERGY STAR® DISHWASHER |
$50 |
|
ENERGY STAR® REFRIGERATOR |
$50 |
|
ENERGY STAR® WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER |
$75 |
They had a link to click on to see if my Hunter Ceiling Fan Model Number was on the list. Sure was! Of course it was...it had the ENERGY STAR® label on it.
I filled out the Rebate Form and included the original receipt (and a self addressed stamped envelope if I want it back) and I sure feel great. My electric bill was $177.28 and I am getting back $80.00 for the two ceiling fans. ($40 each).
So, if you just Moved to Honolulu, Hawaii (Honolulu Hawaii Relocation) and happen to get an appliance with the ENERGY STAR® label on it make sure and check if you are eligible to receive a rebate from the website: Hawaiian Electric Rebates on Energy Star® Appliances
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© 2008 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved
Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate® and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocations, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents, Home Buyers and Sellers.
© 2007-2012 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog.
All rights reserved.
Way to go Sally. That's dedication.
Lenn: Dedication to find ways for rebates too! Maybe I'll write about rebates we do :)
Also many of the new homes are being built under the Hawaii BuiltGreen program and have several upgrades to the homes to save energy.
Woo Hoo, I am so glad you wrote this. I had observed about a week ago when I wrote about some the apsects of going green and the rebates etc, that ay be available, that there was a rebate form for San Diego from our SDG&E and I had thought to post the rebate form on my own outside blog and forgot to do so. Thank you for the reminder. We should all make our respective rebate forms available on our sites.
Sally- WoW, I would be dancing the happy dance if our electric bill was only $180 a month!
Katerina: Understandable..you have a bigger house. Mine is 500 sq. ft ...so tell me I'm getting a good deal :)
William: Good idea! I think I'll write about how Gary and I send in all kinds of rebates...hey, it's money back ;)
Randy: Do they have rebates? HECO does! :)
Well it's an important thing for all of us to consider doing if we are not already. There are many small steps we can take.
Our power company also offers rebates - guess I need to write about that. Thanks for the great information, Sally. Bet buyers and sellers will be interested in knowing this.
Jeff
Sally,
Doesn't that kind of purchase make you feel good??? Thanks, Fran
Sally my friend I will trade electricity bills with you :)
My house is all electric and my bill last month was over $400.
I would sit down but that is where I feel the pain the most ............ LOL
HI SALLY!
This is what everyone wants...REBATE!! Gotta love finding this out! Thanks for sharing!
Aloha!
Jeff: I bet anyone would like this info here. Not many know about the smaller stuff like ceiling fans.
Fran: Yes it does Fran. Hope it's helping :)
George: Oh...next is the gas bill. Our water heater is gas. Now....maybe you'd like to trade bills but I bet you wouldn't like an almost two hundred dollar bill with only 500 sq. ft. living area. If you have a 2000 sq. ft. house here then it's be triple..if not more.
Yvette: Look for rebates!
Morning Sally,
Conservation by any means is a good thing, rebates make it even better.
I was just cutting back on some electrical useage because our bill, I thought was getting out of hand. Our house is most efficient, totally electric, heat pump AC and pool heater. etc. Volume ceilings 2k + sf.
This month's bill was 218 and I thought that was too high. Reading the comment George made makes me feel a lot better.
Wow Sally!
I am so jealous everytime I hear from you about the great policies your state has implemented! I wish more states would jump on the greenwagon!!! This is a fantastic article with great local information! Great demonstration how it pays to go green in Hawaii!!!