If your old appliances are getting a bit too old, you maybe eligible for a rebate program offered through The City of Santa Clarita.

The California Appliance Rebate program is officially underway. The program, which started Earth Day, April 22, 2010, offers rebates to assist California residents in swapping out old energy inefficient home appliances for new, Energy Star qualified items.

“The residential sector presents a large challenge and sizable opportunity of protecting the environment through energy efficiency,” said California State Assemblyman and former Santa Clarita Mayor, Cameron Smyth. “Households are the third largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., behind only the industrial and transportation sectors, and offer potential energy savings in the range of 25 to 30 percent compared with current consumption.”

Three residential appliance categories are eligible to receive rebates as part of the program: clothes washers ($100 rebate), refrigerators ($200 rebate), and room/window air conditioners ($50 rebate). Appliances must be Energy Star listed and certified to the Energy Commission as meeting all state and federal appliance efficiency standards to be eligible for rebates.

“The ‘Cash for Appliances’ program is a great way to cushion the cost of swapping out old, inefficient home appliances for new Energy Star rated ones,” said Mayor Laurene Weste. “By purchasing Energy Star products, households can continue to reap the benefits of reduced energy use by helping protect the environment and saving up to 30 percent, or $450 annually on average, on their utility bills.”

For more information on the California Appliance Rebate program, please contact David Peterson, Assistant Planner II for the City’s Planning Division, at (661) 284-1406 or visit www.greensantaclarita.com and click on the “Energy Star Products” icon on the Green Store page.