Rebate incentive advocates clean, safe, and efficient home heating technology using renewable resources

Michigan residents may take advantage of a more efficient, clean, and safe way to heat their homes at a discounted cost through a new initiative by MUCC. "The Great Michigan Woodstove Change-out Campaign" (Campaign), a partnership between MUCC, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and the Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association (HPBA), provides up to $500 in rebate and discount incentives toward the replacement of a conventional wood-burning stove with a more efficient, cleaner wood, pellet, corn, gas, or electric stove or fireplace insert certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Made possible by a MDEQ/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant, "The Great Michigan Woodstove Change-out Campaign" aims to educate Michigan residents about the economic, health, safety, and environmental benefits of switching to modern home heating stoves by improving air quality as a result lowering wood smoke emissions. As a major incentive to consumers, the Campaign is offering up to $500 in rebates and discounts toward the purchase and installation of a new stove. A $290 mail-in rebate from MUCC will be issued to qualified consumers who perform the change-out through a participating retailer. Retailers will also be offering significant discounts and/or rebates as a part of the Campaign. In order to receive a $290 rebate from MUCC, Michigan residents must agree to have their old stove rendered inoperable and must complete all portions of the "Rebate Request Form," which will be available at participating retailers and online at www.mucc.org. The Campaign will run from May 8 until July 31, 2008 and is available to the first 500 participants.

By participating in the Campaign, customers will not only benefit by saving money on an efficient new woodstove; reduced home heating costs using renewable resources, cleaner air, reduced health risks associated with wood smoke, and reduced home fire hazards are additional benefits to replacing an old stove.

Instructions for participating in the Great Michigan Woodstove Change-out Campaign:

• If you have a woodstove which was installed before 1990, visit a participating retailer in your area to pick out a new wood, gas, pellet or corn stove certified by the EPA. Make sure you ask the participating retailer what specific discounts or incentives it is providing as part of the Campaign, in addition to the $290 MUCC rebate
  • Fireplace inserts are also eligible for a rebate
  • See a list of stove brands being discounted as part of the Changeout
• Once you purchase your new appliance, make sure you receive a work-order receipt and an official Rebate Request Form(Also available here (requires Adobe Reader)
• Make sure the retailer fills out the third portion of the Rebate Request Form.
• Have your new stove installed by an NFI Certified or Michigan licensed installer – make sure he or she fills out the second portion of the Rebate Request Form and verifies that the old stove was rendered inoperable
• Make sure the entire Rebate Request form is properly filled out, and send it along with a copy of your work-order receipt to the address provided on the form. Keep copies for your records
• $290 rebate checks will be issued to the first 500 participating Michigan residents who "change-out" their old stove and submit all necessary paperwork and proof of purchase to MUCC by July 31, 2008