A Minute with Molly: What are Colorado’s income-qualified HEAR rebates?
Hey, Molly here — Home Comfort Concierge at Elephant Energy.
Welcome to a new series called A Minute with Molly, where I break down heat pumps and home electrification into fast, easy-to-understand updates — all in about a minute.
HEAR’s 😉 the big news: Colorado’s Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) are officially live, and Elephant Energy is a registered HEAR contractor, ready to help.
What are the HEAR rebates?
HEAR is a new, income-qualified rebate program that helps Colorado homeowners afford electric upgrades like heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.
If you qualify, you can receive up to $14,000 in point-of-sale rebates, applied instantly at installation. No waiting for checks. No rebate paperwork. We handle that for you.
What equipment is covered?
- Up to $8,000 for a cold-climate heat pump
- Up to $1,750 for a heat pump water heater
- Up to $4,000 for an electrical panel upgrade
- Up to $2,500 for electrical wiring
- Up to $1,600 for insulation and air sealing
Alright, now here are the most common questions about Colorado HEAR rebates I’ve been getting over the past few weeks.
Who qualifies for the HEAR rebates?
If your household income is at or below 150% of your county’s Area Median Income (AMI), you may qualify for rebates covering 50–100% of your project costs. This applies to single-family homes, condos, and mobile homes.
👉 Check your county’s AMI limits here
Can I stack HEAR rebates with other incentives?
YES! And this is where the savings really add up. HEAR rebates can be stacked with utility incentives (including Xcel Energy), local programs, and Colorado tax credits. Many homeowners are covering 60–100% of their total project cost. The only rule is that total rebates can’t exceed the total cost of the project. Check out a few examples of what our customers have saved recently:
Ducted heat pump example:
- 1,100 sq. ft. home
- 3 bed / 2 bath
- 3 person household
- $150K household income
| Heat pump project | Cost |
| Equipment + labor | $20,000 |
| State of Colorado heat pump tax credit | ($800) |
| Xcel Energy heat pump rebate | ($7,310) |
| HEAR rebate | ($8,000) |
| Total out of pocket cost | $3,890 |
Heat pump water heater example:
- 1,400 sq. ft home
- 2 bed / 2 bath
- 2 person household
- $100K household income
| Heat pump water heater project | Cost |
| Equipment + labor | $7,570 |
| State of Colorado heat pump tax credit | ($200) |
| Xcel Energy heat pump rebate | ($2,250) |
| HEAR rebate | ($1,750) |
| Total out of pocket cost | $3,370 |
How does the HEAR process work? (The Elephant way)
- Connect with our team — we confirm eligibility and guide you through the process
- We complete a site visit at your home
- Once your proposal is signed, we submit it to the State of Colorado
- State approval usually comes through in a couple of weeks
- Get instant savings — rebates are applied upfront at installation
And last but most importantly, you get to enjoy a more comfortable home.
If you have questions or just want to talk it through, call me directly at 720-248-3990 (yes — I’m a real person!!) or book a quick virtual chat with our team. We have both English- and Spanish-speaking team members — just let us know what you prefer and we’ll get you connected.
More soon,
Molly