The rebates come from the City's own electric utility, so they apply only to Ames Electric Services customers.
The 2026 amounts
The Electric Utility board approved these changes at its 18 November 2025 meeting, effective 1 January 2026.
| Equipment | 2026 rebate | 2025 rebate | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-source heat pump | $1,200 | $1,000 | 17.2 SEER2+ or ENERGY STAR Cold Climate |
| Air-source heat pump | $600 | $500 | 15.2 to 17.1 SEER2 |
| Mini-split heat pump | Up to $500 | — | — |
| Geothermal heat pump | $800 per ton | $400 | Not ENERGY STAR |
| Geothermal heat pump | $1,000 per ton | $500 | ENERGY STAR |
| Geothermal, replacement with no new wells | $400 per ton | $200 | — |
| Central air conditioner | $200 | $400 | 17.2 SEER2+ |
| Central air conditioner | None | $200 | 15.2 to 17.1 SEER2 |
| Heat pump water heater | $500 | $400 | — |
| Smart thermostat | $25 | $25 | One per dwelling unit |
| Attic insulation | 50% of cost, up to $250 | new | — |
| Level 2 EV charger | 50% of cost, up to $500 | unchanged | — |
| Solar PV | $500 per kW (DC) | unchanged | — |
| Net Zero Ready new home | $3,000 | unchanged | Detached single-family only |
Amounts are from the Residential Rebates page and the 2026 update. The 2026 changes cut the appliance rebates: dishwasher and dehumidifier rebates ended, and a refrigerator of 17.6 cu ft or more to $50.
What it means for hiring a contractor
- Ask for the SEER2 rating in writing. The heat pump rebate doubles between the 15.2 and 17.2 SEER2 tiers, and there is no air conditioner rebate below 17.2. Put the model number and the AHRI-rated SEER2 on the quote, so you can check it against the rebate tier before the unit is ordered.
- Price the gap. A cold-climate or 17.2 SEER2 heat pump earns $1,200 against $200 for a 17.2 SEER2 air conditioner, a $1,000 difference on the Ames rebate alone.
- Keep the paperwork. The City's pages do not list a filing deadline, the documents needed, or a rule on who must install. Keep the invoice, the model and serial numbers and the permit number, and call 515-239-5177 before you sign if timing matters.
- The permit. Ames requires a permit for "most mechanical and gas work" and for water heater replacements; see Ames HVAC permit and Ames water heater permit.
Compare Ames HVAC installers by permit record →
Who installs it in Ames
| Measure | HVAC | Water heaters |
|---|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,733 | 1,578 |
| Firms | 50 | 49 |
| Busiest firm, last 12 months | C and K Inc (169) | C and K Inc (133) |
| Next busiest | Neighbors Heating & Cooling (112), One Hour Heating & Air (78) | Draintech (131), One Hour Heating & Air (66) |
| Share held by the five busiest | 72.7% | 73.8% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 7 | 2 |
| Busiest month | July | July |
| Quietest month | March | August |
Ames is a concentrated market: C and K Inc alone held 33.2% of HVAC permits. That makes a second quote from outside the top three easy to get and worth having. HVAC work peaks in July; March is the quietest month for permits, a better time to ask for quotes than midsummer.
Check it in five minutes
- Confirm your electric bill comes from Ames Electric Services.
- Ask each bidder for the model number and its SEER2 rating, and check it against the table above.
- Open our Ames HVAC list or water heater list and look at the installer's permit count in the last 12 months.
Related
Finding a permit: Ames building permit search. Licenses: Ames contractor license lookup. Counts by year: Ames permit statistics.
What this does not tell you
Ames permits in our file carry no filed value, so we cannot show what a heat pump or water heater install costs in Ames, and the permits do not say whether the unit was a heat pump, an air conditioner or a furnace. We also cannot see which jobs claimed a rebate.
How we know this
Rebate amounts are from the City of Ames Electric Services Residential Rebates page and 2026 Smart Energy Rebate Update, read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are City of Ames mechanical and water heater permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026.
Numbers come from City of Ames residential permits (one record per permit), data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How much is the Ames heat pump rebate?
For 2026, Ames Electric Services pays $1,200 for an air-source heat pump rated 17.2 SEER2 or better or ENERGY STAR Cold Climate certified, $600 for 15.2 to 17.1 SEER2, and at most $500 for a mini-split. Geothermal is $800 a ton, $1,000 a ton if ENERGY STAR, and $400 a ton for a replacement with no new wells.
- Does Ames give a rebate for a new air conditioner?
Only for a high-efficiency one. In 2026 a whole-house central air conditioner of 17.2 SEER2 or better earns $200, down from $400 in 2025; the 15.2 to 17.1 SEER2 tier, $200 in 2025, was dropped.
- Is there a rebate for a heat pump water heater in Ames?
Yes, $500 in 2026, up from $400. Ames had 1,578 water heater permits from October 2023 to September 2026, and the usual one reached final 2 days after issue, so the permit is rarely what holds up a claim.
- Who can get Ames Smart Energy rebates?
The program is for Ames Electric Services customers. Homes on another electric utility do not qualify. File online through the portal linked from each rebate, or call 515-239-5177 for a paper form.
- Does Ames give a rebate for solar panels or an EV charger?
Yes. Solar earns $500 per installed kW (DC). A Level 2 EV charger earns 50% of the material and installation cost, up to $500.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Anaheim Public Utilities rebates for heat pumps, water heaters, EV chargers and batteries, and what the permits show
- Home improvement costs in Boulder, CO (2026): what 9 kinds of jobs were filed at
- Home improvement costs in Cary, NC (2026): what 16 kinds of jobs were filed at
- Home improvement costs in Citrus Heights, CA (2026): what 9 kinds of jobs were filed at
- SMUD heat pump rebates in Sacramento County: up to $4,000 for a water heater, $3,000 for HVAC, the contractor rule, and what permits show
For one city
- Residential Rebates — City of Ames Electric Services, Smart Energy (accessed 2026-10-23)
- 2026 Smart Energy Rebate Update — City of Ames (approved 2025-11-18, accessed 2026-10-23)