Start with the electric bill and the property type.
Write down the electric utility, any community-choice provider, existing heating fuel, and whether the property is a single-family home, condo, or larger multifamily building. Those details determine which program to check.
A Sacramento-area SMUD offer is not available to every California household. Use your utility’s current residential program and the statewide administrator’s eligibility instructions separately. Ask an installer to name each proposed incentive and the exact service-address rule it satisfies.
Single-family HEEHRA funding is fully reserved.
The California Energy Commission’s February 24, 2026 notice states that Phase I single-family HEEHRA rebates are fully reserved statewide. Waitlisted projects qualify only if the heat pump is installed after the reservation is approved.
Do not treat a waitlist entry or an older launch announcement as secured funding. Ask your trained contractor for the actual approved reservation before making a rebate-dependent purchase. Multifamily funding follows a separate pathway; the single-family notice should not be generalized to every property type.
California Energy Commission: February 2026 reservation notice · Source checked 2026-09-06
A utility rebate may still be a useful local option.
SMUD’s current HVAC page advertises up to $3,000 for qualifying heat-pump heating and cooling systems installed by a qualifying contractor. Eligibility depends on the actual replacement and equipment; it is a utility-specific offer.
If your address is served by another utility, look up that program rather than copy SMUD’s maximum. Keep the utility benefit, any state reservation, and contractor or manufacturer promotion on different lines. Confirm combinations with the relevant administrators before adding them together.
SMUD customers can continue with our Sacramento heat-pump rebate guide for that utility’s project requirements.
SMUD: current heating and cooling rebate pathway · Source checked 2026-09-06
Use California’s regional differences as design questions.
For a coastal home adding occasional cooling, ask whether a room-focused or smaller whole-home scope meets the need. For an inland home with heavy summer use, ask for cooling output at its design temperature. For a mountain property, ask for winter output, backup, and snow/drainage arrangements.
The contractor should use the house’s actual load, insulation, windows, and ducts. Ask for the complete indoor/outdoor model pairing and the electrical work needed. A statewide rebate category does not establish a suitable equipment size.
Make a reservation and quote checklist.
| Check | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|
| Address and household | Utility account and program eligibility result |
| Contractor | Participation required by each program |
| Funding | Approved reservation, amount and expiration |
| Equipment | Exact matched model certificate |
| Installation | Electrical, ducts, permits, testing and disposal |
| Payment | Gross price, approved discounts and remaining cost |
If a project is waitlisted, compare an affordable scope without that payment and ask about timing before proceeding. Recheck the reservation if the installation date or equipment changes.
Bring a clear project brief to your installer.
Sources checked September 6, 2026. Confirm current funding and installation-date rules with the administrator before signing. These are selected local pathways, not an exhaustive rebate list.
Start a heating and cooling request with your existing equipment, utility, and comfort priorities. Temperaly does not approve rebates; a request is not an appointment.
Editorial review: 2026-09-06