May 12, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- When South Carolina’s appliance rebate program began on March 31, 2010, it had a total of $3.9 million available to consumers. Since then, all of the mail-in rebates and over three quarters of the instant rebates have been used up.

According to the SC Appliance Rebate web site, the mail-in rebates were exhausted in the first day. These were rebates for central air conditioning, heat pumps, gas furnaces and water heaters. The contractors reserved the rebates for the customers upon ordering the equipment and the customers then submitted the proper paperwork.

The other program, instant rebates, is on clothes washers, dish washers, refrigerators, and room air conditioning units. There is still some money left, a little over $200,000.

The program is funded by federal stimulus money that has been distributed to each state for programs. For more information on South Carolina’s program, visit www.appliancerebates.sc.gov.