ApplianceSmart Factory Outlet and Appliance Recycling Centers of America Gearing up for Ohio Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program

MINNEAPOLIS, March 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ApplianceSmart Factory Outlet and Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc. (ARCA) are gearing up for the Ohio Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, which kicks off on Friday, March 26, 2010. The program is funded by $11 million allocated through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Through the Ohio Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, consumers can reserve an application to receive the following rebates for the purchase of a qualifying ENERGY STAR® appliance and recycling of the appliance that is being replaced:

• Refrigerator - $100
• Dishwasher - $100
• Clothes washer - $150
• Electric heat pump water heater - $250
• High-efficiency gas storage water heater - $100

The new ENERGY STAR® appliance must be purchased from an Ohio retailer, vendor or contractor on or after March 26, 2010. Residents may reserve one rebate per household for each type of appliance.

Operating old, energy inefficient appliances can add a significant amount to monthly energy bills. Refrigerators manufactured before 1993, for example, typically use two to four times more electricity than newer ENERGY STAR® models and can cost their owners $150 to $225 per unit annually in excess energy costs.

Brad Bremer, Vice President of Retail Operations for ApplianceSmart, a subsidiary of ARCA, said: "Because rebates through the Ohio Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program are available on a first come, first served basis, we are encouraging people to visit the state's website at www.OhioApplianceRebate.com early on March 26 to reserve their rebate before funds are depleted. Consumers can also visit our website (www.ApplianceSmart.com) for more information."

Bremer continued: "ApplianceSmart is offering an additional in-store instant rebate of 15% on all models that qualify for the Ohio Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. To meet increased consumer demand, we have boosted our inventory of ENERGY STAR® refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers at our four Columbus-area factory outlets. Because all of our appliances are available to take home immediately, we are expecting a sharp increase in store traffic from consumers who need their new appliance the same day they buy."  

To qualify for a rebate, a consumer will need proof from a recycling facility that his or her old appliance has been recycled. ARCA, the parent company of ApplianceSmart, is a premier international provider of environmentally sound appliance recycling services, which ApplianceSmart offers at no charge to its customers when a new appliance is purchased. ApplianceSmart can haul the old appliance away when the new one is delivered, or a customer can drop off his or her old appliance at any ApplianceSmart location when purchasing a new one. ARCA and ApplianceSmart will ensure that the old appliance is properly recycled and will provide the certification of recycling required for rebate eligibility.

The Ohio Department of Development's Energy Resources Division, the state agency responsible for administering the Ohio Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, expects that nearly 89,000 energy inefficient appliances will be replaced through the program. These new ENERGY STAR® appliances are estimated to reduce annual energy consumption in Ohio by 11,656,501 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and 449,755 therms, and reduce water consumption by 175,652,211 gallons annually. This program will also increase awareness of the ENERGY STAR® qualified products.

About ARCA

ARCA (www.arcainc.com) is one of the nation's largest recyclers of major household appliances for the energy conservation programs of electric utilities. The Company is also the exclusive North American distributor for UNTHA Recycling Technology (URT), one of the world's leading manufacturers of technologically advanced refrigerator recycling systems and recycling facilities for electrical household appliances and electronic scrap. Through its ApplianceSmart operation (www.appliancesmart.com), ARCA also is one of the nation's leading retailers of special-buy household appliances, primarily those manufactured by Maytag, GE, Frigidaire and Whirlpool. Special-buy appliances, which include close-outs and factory overruns, typically are not integrated into the manufacturer's normal distribution channel. ApplianceSmart sells these new appliances at a discount to full retail, offers a 100% money-back guarantee and provides warranties on parts and labor. As of March 2010, ApplianceSmart was operating 19 factory outlets: six in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market; one in Rochester, Minn., market, four in the Columbus, Ohio, market; six in the Atlanta market; and two in San Antonio, Texas.

SOURCE Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc.