All mail-in rebates available for South Carolina’s Appliance Rebate Program were exhausted just one day after they became available.

Rebates for Energy Star labeled central air conditioning units, heat pumps, gas furnaces and water heaters in the Appliance Rebate program were all claimed shortly after 1 pm Thursday. The mail-in rebates were used by contractors who obviously planned ahead, and covered only larger appliances like central air conditioning, heat pumps and water heaters.

Megan Herring is Public Information Coordinator for the South Carolina Energy Office.  She says there are still funds left for rebates on appliances commonly bought by consumers, such as washers, dishwashers, refrigerators and room air conditioners. But Herring says those rebates are going fast and may not last out the next week.

For appliances bought in a store, the rebate will be applied instantly when the customer buys the appliance.  Herring says the instant-claim rebates on smaller appliances are lasting a little longer only because those rebates are smaller since they apply to less expensive items.

Contractors who used up the rebates for large whole-house appliances within the first 30 hours reserved rebates online and then provided customers with mail-in forms.

Herring says consumers who use ENERGY STAR appliances save in more ways than one.

Customers not only receive $50 or $100 off in the store, they see energy savings over the lifetime of the unit.  Energy Star appliances save between 10 and 50 percent on energy and water costs above standard appliances. 

For updates on the status of funds remaining in the rebate program, check out www.appliancerebates.sc.gov.