It's official! Georgia's energy rebate programs are up and running!
At PV, we've been talking about these programs for several months. That's because we were an official contractor for both the Georgia Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) pilot programs. Now both programs are officially live, and homeowners are starting to save big on energy efficient home improvements!
Both of these programs use federal funds specifically allocated to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient. Funding was received by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) in early 2025 and is not subject to current cuts to environmental programs at the federal level.
In other words, the money isn't going anywhere. Thanks to these rebates, there's a good chance your family can save thousands on new heating and AC systems, water heaters, insulation, and other energy efficient upgrades!
Georgia HEAR program basics
The HEAR program helps eligible Georgia homeowners pay significantly less for energy efficient appliances and home improvements.
Homeowners can qualify when:
- Household income is lower than 150% of the area median income, or AMI
- They replace gas appliances with electric appliances or they replace older electric appliances with new, high efficiency ones
- The new equipment is ENERGY STAR-certified
- They hire an approved contractor for the Georgia energy rebate programs
For homeowners earning 80% or less than the area median income, it's actually possible to receive a rebate for up to 100% of the cost of eligible upgrades.
Here's a breakdown of income eligibility tiers and rebate amounts for qualified home improvements (Source: GEFA):
There are a variety of home improvements that qualify for HEAR rebates, and the rebate dollar amounts are remarkable. For example, a household earning 100% of AMI that replaces a gas furnace with a $12,000 heat pump could receive a rebate of $6,000, or 50% of the cost!
A household earning 80% of AMI would save even more. In this case, the homeowner could receive a rebate of $8,000, resulting in a net cost of just $4,000 for the new heat pump.
Many households transitioning to a heat pump from a gas furnace will also require wiring upgrades to accommodate the heat pump. Luckily, HEAR also provides rebates for electric wiring! We typically see rebate savings of at least $1,250 for wiring updates in addition to the heat pump savings.
Note that federal tax credits can help you save even more. At the time of writing, you can also claim a tax credit for 30% of the remaining cost after the rebate. In the $4,000 heat pump example above, you could save an additional $1,200. Your net cost for the new heat pump would be just $2,800—an incredible deal!
Here's a breakdown of HEAR-eligible improvements and the maximum rebate amounts allowed under program rules (Source: GEFA):
As you can see, it's possible to combine eligible improvements into a single project for a total savings of up to $14,000! For some households opting to install a heat pump, a heat pump water heater, and pursue insulation/air sealing upgrades, that kind of savings really is possible!
Georgia HER program basics
Unlike the HEAR program, Georgia's HER program doesn't have income thresholds. Any homeowner who pursues qualifying energy improvements can receive a rebate, regardless of income!
But while HER doesn't have income thresholds, it does have income tiers.
Households earning more than 80% of AMI can receive a rebate for 50% of the project cost up to $4,000. If your household earns 80% of AMI or less, you can receive a rebate for 98% of the project cost up to $16,000.
And of course, you have to work with an approved contractor whose work meets GEFA's (and the program's) high standards for rebate eligibility.
What kinds of home improvements qualify for HER rebates? Here are some that usually net the most savings:
- Getting a more efficient HVAC system, whether gas or electric (must be ENERGY STAR-certified equipment)
- Upgrading to a more efficient water heater
- Home electrification projects
- Insulating and air sealing your home
With the HER program, you can't get the rebate just because you have an approved contractor perform one or more of the above upgrades. You also need to reduce overall household energy consumption by 20% to qualify for HER savings.
It's worth noting that the HER program pays bigger rebates for greater energy reduction Also, the HER's specified energy reduction percentages align with the program's income tiers.
If that sounds complex, don't worry! We can help you qualify for your maximum rebate! Here's how much you can save with via HER depending on your income and the amount of energy consumption you eliminate through the upgrades:
- Households earning 80% of AMI or less with 35% or more energy savings qualify for a rebate of up to $16,000.
- Households earning 80% of AMI or less with 20% to 34% energy savings can receive a rebate of up to $10,000.
- Households earning over 80% of AMI with 35% or more energy savings can get a rebate of up to $4,000.
- Households earning over 80% of AMI with 20% to 34% energy savings can qualify for a rebate of up to $2,000.
Qualify for the largest possible rebate!
We're so excited to help you maximize your rebate savings!
These new rebate programs are particularly meaningful to us because we've always strived to help Atlanta-area homeowners enjoy the best possible comfort while using the lowest amount of energy.
As contractors who have been involved with these programs from the beginning, it's super gratifying to know that they have officially launched and that homeowners are starting to save on these important home improvements. Better energy efficiency aligns with our values as a company in a very big way!
At PV Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we've created a Customer Advocate Center to assist customers with all of their Georgia energy rebate questions. Our team can help you select the most advantageous program—HEAR or HER— depending on your home improvement goals.
To start the qualification process, complete the form below or contact a PV customer advocate at (470) 309-1817 today!
