A rebate helper that turns research into installs
Homeowners shopping for a heat pump or high-efficiency AC change-out spend hours hunting through IRS pages, DSIRE listings, and utility rebate PDFs trying to figure out what they actually qualify for. Most of that traffic ends without ever contacting a contractor.
The Rebate & Tax Credit Helper meets that homeowner where they are. It’s a short intake widget that surfaces the eligibility picture in plain language and routes the qualified ones straight into your install pipeline.
What the homeowner enters
A four-field intake, optimized for mobile:
- Service ZIP — drives the utility lookup and confirms the home is in your service area.
- Equipment being considered — heat pump (air-source / ducted, air-source / mini-split, geothermal), high-efficiency AC, high-efficiency furnace, heat-pump water heater, smart thermostat.
- Approximate household income range — relevant for the IRA HEEHRA rebate tier (income-qualified vs. above-AMI). Optional.
- Project timing — within 30 days, 30-90 days, 3-6 months, just researching.
That’s it. Total time: under 60 seconds.
What the homeowner sees back
The widget surfaces an eligibility view in clear language:
- IRA 25C tax credit — for qualifying heat pumps and high-efficiency AC/furnace installs, up to the annual federal cap. Calls out the equipment efficiency thresholds (SEER2, HSPF2, AFUE) that matter.
- HEEHRA / HOMES program rebates — where state programs have launched, surfaces the income-tier rebate the homeowner may qualify for.
- Local utility rebates — pulls from the snapshot’s utility database for the entered ZIP. Things like equipment-specific rebates from the local power company or gas utility.
- State-level incentives — where applicable (NY, MA, CO, CA, others with stacked programs).
Each line is illustrative, sourced, and dated.
The honest disclaimer
Front and center on the result view:
This is illustrative only and not tax advice. Eligibility, dollar amounts, and program rules change frequently and vary by household. Confirm specifics with a tax professional and verify program rules at the source before relying on any number shown here.
Why we lead with this: rebate and tax-credit programs change constantly. The IRA 25C cap, the HEEHRA income tiers, the utility-program eligibility — all of it gets updated by Congress, by state energy offices, and by utility commissions on a regular cycle. Promising a homeowner a specific dollar figure that turns out to be wrong is the fastest way to lose trust and create complaint risk.
The helper exists to frame the conversation, not to file the homeowner’s tax return.
What happens after the eligibility view
A clear CTA: “Get a quote for an install that qualifies.” That button:
- Drops the homeowner into the Instant Quote Form with their ZIP and equipment interest pre-filled.
- Tags the contact with a “rebate-motivated” flag in the Smart Pipeline so the office knows the conversation needs to lead with the incentive math.
- Triggers a follow-up email that includes the rebate detail in writing for the homeowner to share with their spouse, contractor, or accountant.
Why this matters for your shop right now
The IRA incentive landscape created a multi-year tailwind for high-efficiency equipment installs. Homeowners are aware the credits exist, but they’re confused about what applies to them. Shops that turn that confusion into a clear, low-friction first conversation will capture the install demand.
Equipment-side, this matters most for:
- Heat pump change-outs (especially in dual-fuel and cold-climate territory)
- High-efficiency furnace replacements (AFUE 95%+)
- High-efficiency AC replacements (SEER2 16+)
- Heat-pump water heater pairs with HVAC change-outs
The helper qualifies the homeowner without the office manager spending 30 minutes on the phone explaining the difference between a tax credit and a rebate.
Wires into the rest of the snapshot
- Captured contacts land in the Smart Pipeline at the Lead stage, tagged “rebate-motivated.”
- High-intent homeowners (timing < 90 days) route directly to the install dispatch board via Dispatch & Scheduling.
- Lower-intent (just researching) contacts feed into a Email Marketing Automations heat-pump education sequence.
- Pairs naturally with the Coupon & Promo Funnel for tune-up customers whose aging equipment is the next change-out candidate.
A rebate helper that respects the homeowner’s intelligence — and pays you back in qualified install leads.