Free Air Conditioners for Low Income Families

Today, we will share all the important things about how to get free air conditioners for low income families. Luckily, you can get help from the state through a program like HEAP or Home Energy Assistance Program. Aside from cooling assistance, you can get help for heating equipment replacement or repair as well. This program for grants for air conditioning units opens every year. So, even though you miss this year’s opportunity, luckily you can still apply for next year. Well, we also provide you with some other options that we would be glad if this can help.

1. Free Air Conditioners For Low Income Families Via Heap

You may also find free air conditioners for senior citizens or even free air conditioners for the disabled. Even so, our focus today will be mainly on how to get free air conditioners for low income families. Well, without further ado, find out more details below. Read on!

Also, HEAP generally assists people with low income to pay the cost of heating. Due to the nature of this program, it goes without saying that your eligibility needs to be confirmed first. There’s only one regular HEAP benefit each program year you can receive, in addition to emergency HEAP benefits when the risk of having the utility service shut off or running out of fuel is likely.

How HEAP Can Work

Electricity aside, HEAP may also help you if the heat in your home is fueled by natural gas, coal, oil, propane, kerosene, wood or wood pellets, and corn. The free air conditioners for low income families program is run by the state. Therefore, you can always easily contact the local government, even if you wish to get free air conditioners for low income families in California or whichever state you’re currently living in.

Let’s jump straight away to how to get free air conditioner from HEAP. The program for free air conditioners for low income families from HEAP this year will open on 1 May 2017. Those who are eligible may receive one Cooling Assistance for the installation or purchase of a fan or an air conditioner to help cool your home. Bear in mind that each applicant household can only accept one benefit for Cooling Assistance. In situations in which an air conditioner cannot be installed safely, the applicant will be provided with a fan. Only one fan or air conditioner, and it should never exceed $800, installation included. Additional HEAP cash benefits aren’t available.

HEAP And Its Eligibility

To be eligible, absolutely, is one requirement you have to meet. So, how to get a free air conditioner? You may be eligible for these free air conditioners for low income families from HEAP if you and your household meet these requirements:

You and the member of your household are citizens of the United States or qualified area and include a member with certain medical conditions that are worsened by heat with documentation.
The gross monthly income of your household is at or less than the current income guidelines for the size of your household we will exhibit later, or
You receive SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly known as Food Stamp, or
You receive TA or Temporary Assistance, or
Participants receive SSI Living Alone or Code A Supplemental Security Income.
You receive greater than $21 of Regular benefit in the current program year/
Participants currently either don’t have an air conditioner that works or the one you have is already at least five years or even older.
You didn’t receive an air conditioner funded by HEAP within the past 10 years.

The eligibility requirements of your household for free air conditioners for low income families program also include an application to be filled with the local department of social service. Do not forget to provide all the documentation necessary, and your household has to reside in the eligible situation.

HEAP Monthly Income Limits

Below is HEAP Monthly Income Limits. Make note of this when you’re applying for free air conditioners for low income families. In fact, the total gross monthly income of your household for the household size has to be at or less than $2,300 . That is for the household size 1 and $6,671 for household size 11. Where to apply for the free air con for low income family? You can always contact your HEAP Local District Contact found in your state’s HEAP website.

Once they announced that you are eligible to get free air conditioners, that is great. You only need to wait for them to come to your house. After that, they will help you and install the air conditioner for you. Furthermore, you can check a list of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning or HVAC vendors. You can get the list by visiting your HEAP Local District Contact. Keep in mind that you have the responsibility to maintain your air conditioner. It means you need to reinstall, store, cover, or anything by following the installation.

2. The Salvation Army Thrift Stores

Free air conditioners for low income families are also available from The Salvation Army Thrift Stores. Otherwise, you can participate in Family Service Programs. These options are great to get a window-mounted air conditioner for free. It does not a matter if you are not eligible to get air conditioners for free; since the community may give you the reduced cost. In fact, Local Salvation Army center may give you some exceptions in some cases, depends on your locations.

For example, some centers near you will provide Air conditioners for free, especially if you have a medical emergency. A Salvation Army Family Service Center may provide a window air conditioner for an elderly member or a senior citizen of the community. You may be eligible if you are a single mother with a sick child. Here is more information about the Salvation Army’s program.

3. Local Communities and Church

You can check at charities, local communities or churches near your area that offers summer cooling programs. Some may provide you financial aid, others may offer a loan for the low income seniors. Alternatively, they may offer grants to repair AC units. It is important to know that some charities may ask for a few small donations so they can offset the costs for the program.

Since it is a summer assistance program, the application period may start in May through June or July. But, when it comes to Free Air Conditioners For Low Income Families, the programs may only provide short supply. Therefore, if you need air conditioners for emergency or for health risks, you should apply it early.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Alternatively, you can try for participating Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s program. They explained about the need for air conditioners every summer in Cincinnati neighbors. There, the low families have to deal with small and stuffy houses and apartments and they have no retreat to deal with scorching heat.

Their concern is on the kids with asthma and the senior people with respiratory problem. Other than that, they can help the people with health issues who cannot escape from the summer heat. Also, they work together with WCPO – 9 On Your Side, Braun Heating and Air Conditioning, and Huntington Bank. So, this community works hard to provide about 350 air conditioners and 500 fans for those who are in needs. Therefore, we include their program as one of the best ways to get Free Air Conditioners for Low Income Families.

To accept fans or air conditioners, you must submit your application by providing documentation of your medical needs, along with your photo ID. After that, they will set your schedule for an appointment. If they approved your application, you can pick up your air conditioner. However, it is important to note that each household should only get one air conditioner. Families will only get the air conditioner in this program for once per five years.

4. Free Air Conditioners for Low Income Families from Governments

You can try to get Free Air Conditioners for Low Income Families by joining the local community action agency around you. For example, there is a program from the United State Department of Energy or DOE. It is responsible to pay for any programs related to air conditioners. Therefore, any eligible participants will get air conditioners for free. Not only provide a new air conditioner but also to repair your existing AC unit.

Again, the availability of this program depends on the rules or the regulations of the state. Also, it depends on the amount of money since LIHEAP has allocated the money per year. It is because Congress set this amount of money annually. Additionally, the terms may change by the time and there are about 35 states provide this free air conditioning program.

How does LIHEAP work

At first, they will try to repair your broken air conditioner. If this attempt did not work, they will give a new AC unit. Also, The New York State Governor’s Office works together with the Home Energy Assistance Program. They explained that the application is available now if you are in need of an air conditioner for this summer. It is amazing that you can apply for an application in person. To get started, you just have to visiting the social services department in your area. Nevertheless, it is important to know that they have a requirement for the eligibility of the participant. You should follow their income guidelines, too. Besides, it depends on the documented medical condition and the size of your household. So, they know whether this program is important to you.

5. Participate in the Cooling Assistance Program

This program provides limited air conditioners for people with a medical problem that cannot deal with heat. The program opens the applications from the beginning of May 2019 to the end of August 2019. In addition, to request an application, you can call at the HRA InfoLine at (718) 557-1399. So, they can mail the application to you.

Nevertheless, this program has a policy for the eligibility of the participant as below:

Participant must meet HEAP income guidelines
Participants must have 1 household member with heat-related health issues. Here, a doctor should make a document for this issue.

What if you have a working air conditioner for less than five years? What if you reside in the subsidized housing like NYCHA or Section 8? Or, what if you got an air conditioner from another program in the past 10 years? If you have one of these cases, it means you are not eligible. You can check more information about this program by visiting the Cooling Assistance Program.

Free Air Conditioners For Low Income Families – The Alternatives

Even so, the free air conditioners for low income families do not always have to be from HEAP Cooling Assistance. If you do not qualify for the program with a new and free air conditioning unit, there are still other alternatives. You can use these options to find a cheap unit. Apparently, there are a lot of tips and tricks. So, it is possible to find not only cheap air conditioning units but also free ones.

Take advantage of shipping for a new air conditioning unit during the offseason. In fact, this is always one of the best times to shop for cheap. It is okay if it won’t be the one you bring home. In fact, you can do at a fraction of cost during the fall and winter months. Stores such as Home Depot often provide deep discounts during those months. They do this when the sales of air cooler unit drop significantly.
Check online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay during the offseason too. Those sits can also provide you options related to cheap air conditioning units.
For free items, sites such as Craiglist can also make a great choice. Sometimes, people are willing to give their old air conditioning units for free.

Summary – How To Get Free Air Conditioners For Low Families

In conclusion, it is possible for you to get free air conditioners. It is what you need if you are low families. This program is available if one of your family members has health issues that cannot deal with heat. Nevertheless, you should act fast by applying for an application and check their requirements to meet the eligibility. If you have checked the information above and these could not help, it does not a matter. You can go to the social department near you. There, you can ask for more information whether they have available programs or not.