Are there water heater rebates in Columbus, Ohio?

What rebates are left for Columbus water heaters?

For most Columbus-area households in 2026, the honest answer is: none from the utilities we checked.

Program	Status (as of October 2026)	Source
Columbia Gas of Ohio, residential efficiency	Ended, other than the income-qualified program	[1]
Columbia Gas WarmChoice (income-qualified)	Still offered	[1]
AEP Ohio	No water heater rebate on its Money Saving Programs page; smart thermostat instant discount and the income-qualified HELP program are listed	[2]
Federal 25C tax credit	Not allowed for property placed in service after Dec 31, 2025	[4]

Many websites still list Ohio water heater rebates. Several of those figures belong to programs in other states, or to Ohio programs that have closed. Confirm any rebate on the utility's own page before you count it in your budget.

Which utilities serve the Columbus area?

Check your own bill, because service varies by address. City sources for a few suburbs:

City	Electric	Gas	Source
Hilliard	AEP Ohio	Columbia Gas of Ohio	[5]
Upper Arlington	AEP Ohio	Columbia Gas of Ohio	[6]
Grove City	AEP Ohio (Ohio Power Company)	Not listed on the page read	[10]
Westerville	Westerville Electric Division (municipal)	Not listed on the page read	[7]

Grove City notes that AEP Ohio returns to its legal name, Ohio Power Company, effective October 1, 2026^[10]. You may see either name on bills and program pages.

Westerville runs its own electric utility, so AEP Ohio programs do not apply there^[7]. We did not check whether Westerville Electric offers any water heater incentive. Ask the city.

Why are Ohio rebates so thin?

Ohio House Bill 6 (2019) ended mandated utility energy efficiency programs. AES Ohio, which serves the Dayton area, states that its programs ended on December 31, 2020 in compliance with the law^[3]. Columbia Gas of Ohio has since ended its general residential programs as well^[1]. AEP Ohio's current savings page lists no water heater rebate^[2].

Who can still get help?

Income-qualified households. Two programs are worth a call:

• Columbia Gas WarmChoice. The utility's remaining residential program is the income-qualified one^[1].
• AEP Ohio HELP. AEP Ohio lists its HELP program for income-qualified customers on the same page that shows no general rebate^[2].

Program rules change. Ask each utility whether water heater repair or replacement is covered for your household.

We could not confirm from a primary source that Ohio's federally funded home energy rebate programs are open to applicants. Check with the Ohio Department of Development before you count on one.

How to save without a rebate

Without rebates, the choice of heater matters more than the paperwork.

• Compare efficiency on the label. ENERGY STAR heat pump water heaters must reach a UEF of at least 3.30 (2.20 for 120-volt plug-in and split models), and ENERGY STAR gas tanks at least 0.81 to 0.86 depending on size and draw^[9]. Higher UEF means less energy for the same hot water.
• Know the 2029 change. Under the DOE rule adopted in 2024, electric tank heaters in the most common sizes must reach heat-pump-level efficiency for units made from May 6, 2029. DOE's consumer water heater page still lists that compliance date^[8]. A replacement you buy today is not affected.
• Do not size up by habit. A heater with more first-hour capacity than the house needs costs more to buy and to keep hot.
• Get the permit in the quote. In Columbus, replacing a hot water tank requires a permit. See the Columbus permit guide.

When to call a pro

• You are weighing a heat pump water heater and need to know if your basement or utility room has the space, drain and circuit for one.
• You qualify for an income-based program and the program asks for a contractor assessment.
• Your current heater is near the end of its life and you want quotes for more than one type.
• A gas heater needs venting or gas line changes as part of the swap.