Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit organization owned by you, our members. That means we operate in your best interest, which includes offering programs that help you use less energy. After all, when our members are more efficient, we are too. Less energy used means less energy purchased, and a lower load across our distribution system. In turn, costs stay lower for everyone. 

Our residential rebate program offers credit that goes straight to your monthly electric bill when you make a qualifying, energy efficient upgrade to your home.  

What you need to know:

All of our rebates are offered on a first come, first-serve basis to current LMRE members only. The offers expire when funds are depleted or when the program is discontinued. Rebates must be submitted to the cooperative within 12 months of the purchase date unless otherwise specified. Rebates are valid only for new purchases; used appliances do not qualify. 

Starting the rebate process:

All of our rebate offerings and requirements are listed below. Once you've reviewed the information, contact our energy advisors with any questions you may have at 440-647-2133, or via email at lmre@fesco-oh.org. Some programs require an inspection before the rebate can be processed by the cooperative, and our energy advisors will schedule this appointment with you as well. 

 

  • $100 rebate per unit
  • Must be a new ENERGY STAR-certified appliance, purchased within one year of rebate request
  • 10-30 cubic feet in size
  • Must provide copy of receipt, proof that the old unit was disposed of properly, and proof of ENERGY STAR certification
  • Maximum of two rebates per appliance type (two refrigerators and two freezers) per residential member home during the current program year
  • $25 rebate per unit
  • Must be a new ENERGY STAR-certified appliance, purchased within one year of rebate request
  • Must provide a copy of purchase receipt, proof the old machine was disposed of properly, and proof of ENERGY STAR certification
  • Minimum of 50 gallons or greater
  • 90% efficient with an energy factor of 91% or higher
  • Must enroll in cooperative load management program
  • Must be installed within 12 months of the rebate request
  • Must show receipt of purchase and complete a co-op inspection prior to the rebate completion
  • Maximum of two rebates per residential member home
  • Maximum $500 total rebate for non-residential consumer facility
Rebate Type Amount
   New construction, lifetime warranty $500
   New construction, all other warranties $250
   Conversion from natural gas, propane, or fuel oil
water heater, lifetime warranty		 $500
   Conversion from natural gas, propane, or fuel oil
water heater, all other warranties		 $250
Heat pump water heaters (55 gallons or less) $400

The cooperative will deduct $1.50 each month off your electric bill for installing a load management switch. 

  • Up to $800 on new systems
  • Cooperative must be notified after installation to schedule an inspection by a cooperative energy advisor
  • Equipment must be installed in compliance with ENERGY STAR requirements:

Efficiency Requirements              EER           COP
Closed loop water-to-air               17.1            3.6
Open loop water-to-air                  21.1            4.1

 

  • ENERGY STAR qualified units (15.2 SEER2 or greater) are eligible for up to $600 in rebates
  • Non-ENERGY STAR qualified units (15.2 SEER2 or greater) are eligible for up to $400 in rebates 

Unsure if your unit is ENERGY STAR qualified? See www.energystar.gov for current ENERGY STAR specification.

  • Up to $150 rebate
  • Must be ENERGY STAR-certified with a minimum 16 SEER rating and a cap of 6 tons
  • Maximum of two rebates ($300) during current program year per residential members
  • Cooperative must be notified after installation to schedule an inspection by a cooperative energy advisor
  • $100 rebate for installation of a load management switch on central air conditioners, air-source heat pumps, or ground-source heat pumps
  • Window air conditioning units are not eligible
  • Two years after installation, members will receive $6 bill credits in June, July, August, and September
  • $150 rebate per smart thermostat, not to exceed 50% of the smart thermostat cost (excluding tax and installation)
  • Maximum of two rebates per residential member
  • Limited number of rebates available per year on a first come, first serve basis 
  • $25 rebate per digital thermostat
  • Must control electric baseboards or cable ceiling heat systems
  • Must provide a receipt and schedule an inspection with the cooperative's energy advisor to verify installation
  • Up to $800 in insulation rebates
  • Must be completed in an existing electrically heated residential home
  • Must be completed within one year of rebate request
  • Must be installed by a licensed contractor. DIY upgrades are not eligible
  • Insulation must meet the following MINIMUM R-values to qualify:

                 Attic: R-38
                 Walls: R-16
                 Crawlspace/basement walls: R-10

  • Up to $400 in air sealing rebates
  • The above conditions listed under insulation, excluding minimum R-values, must be met to qualify
  • Blower door test required for all air-sealing projects
  • $250 rebate per charger
  • Maximum two charging port rebates per residential member home, and six charging port rebates per commercial building or facility
  • Must be certified and listed by Underwriters Laboratories and Edison Testing Laboratories

Not sure where to start your energy efficiency journey?

LMRE is here to help! Below are some great starting points, bits of information, and things to keep in mind to maximize your efficiency of your home and your electric use each month. 

Home energy assessments are the most efficient and cost-effective method to help homeowners determine where their homes are losing energy and money. Contact Lorain-Medina Rural Electric and have one of our energy services advisors conduct a home energy assessment on your home.

An energy assessment may consist of a blower door test and walk-through visual inspection of your home. The blower door is a powerful fan that mounts inside the frame of an exterior door. The fan pulls air from the home and identifies cracks and openings throughout the home. Eliminating excessive air infiltration leads to lower energy bills and improved comfort.

Following the energy assessment our energy services advisors will provide recommendations for energy-efficiency improvements and educational materials.

Benefits of a home energy assessment

  • Assessments identify potential energy-saving measures in the home and encourages members to take action to correct issues found during the assessment.
  • Recommended energy-efficiency improvements can provide substantial savings to members.

Contact the cooperative at 440-647-2133 to schedule an appointment with our energy advisors.

Peak alerts are times of high demand for electricity where cooperative members are asked to delay or reduce the use of large appliances. These alerts are usually issued on the hottest and coldest days of the year. We will post announcements on our social media platforms and website when these alerts are issued. Enrolling in an energy management program helps LMRE reduce peak power demand and saves you money.

  • In the winter, lower the thermostat to 68 degrees or lower.
  • In the summer, raise the thermostat to 72 degrees or higher.
  • Turn off lights and appliances you are not currently using. 
  • Delay doing laundry, running the dishwasher, or using other major appliances until later in the evening. 
  • In the summer, take advantage of using the outdoor grill to keep cooking heat outside. 

LMRE follows a Time-of-Day schedule, where certain times of the day will affect how much the electric you consume costs. Shifting any large sources of electric use to hours outside of the peak times may help you save money on your monthly bill. 

Click here for additional information on LMRE's Time-of-Day schedule.