| Rebates and Tax Credits Can Lower Appliance Costs |
| | While you might have back-burnered your plans for a kitchen remodel or a new laundry room, you can’t ignore an ailing dishwasher, a struggling refrigerator, or a washed-up clothes washer.Fixing these appliances could be an option—see our repair-or-replace-it guide (available to subscribers)—but when you decide to replace appliances, consider more-energy-efficient models. This is one way to spend your federal economic-stimulus payment. And, as unlikely as it might seem, you can also turn to your utility company and the state and local government for some financial relief.As of mid-May, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, maintained by North Carolina State University’s Solar Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, lists 732 utility rebate and loan programs for consumers who buy energy-efficient appliances or other home systems. (The DSIRE's map is shown.) The site also includes details on 35 state rebate and loan programs and 13 personal-income-tax-credit or tax-holiday plans.You’ll also fund information on rebate and tax-credit programs from utilities, states, and partners at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Partner Activities search; if you don’t see a program listed for your area, look on your utility bill for more information or contact your state taxation office.Read more about rebates and tax credits. |
| | 5/15/2008 2:31 PM (559d 17h 51m ago) |
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| Consumer Reports New Feature: Refrigerator Video Buying Guide |
| | If you're in the market for a new refrigerator and are on a tight budget, you're in luck. Relatively basic $500 refrigerators now come equipped with rimmed glass shelves that catch spills and gallon-size-storage on doors. And more manufacturers are adding an icemaker to their models.Before you head out to shop, watch the Consumer Reports' new video buying guide and read its latest refrigerators report, learn about the real capacity of these appliances, and refer to its ratings of bottom-freezers, built-ins, side-by-sides, and top-freezers. |
| | 7/25/2008 10:43 AM (488d 21h 39m ago) |
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| Six Maintenance Steps will Prevent Most Refrigerator Breakdowns |
| | It’s hard to believe, but six simple maintenance steps will prevent almost 100 percent of refrigerator breakdowns and eliminate those service calls. Take these steps and you can forget spoiled food, lost time waiting for repair people and shelling out $70 an hour plus parts for the repair itself. In this story, we’ll show you how to keep your fridge humming and trouble-free. And we’ll also tell you what to check if a problem does occur.1. Clean the condenser coils (5 minutes)2. Clean the condenser fan (5 minutes)3. Wipe down the door gasket (2 minutes)4. Clear the freezer vents (5 minutes)5. Set the temperature controls to the middle settings (1 minute)6. Clear and clean the drip openings (2 minutes)Visit The Family Handyman for more details, instructions and visual aids. |
| | 10/13/2008 4:08 AM (409d 4h 14m ago) |
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