Discounts on Gas Logs Still Available in Allegheny County
By making the switch to gas logs, you can reduce pollution from wood-burning fireplaces and improve air quality in our region.
Winter 2019 brought record-breaking cold temperatures to the Pittsburgh area, and many residents turned to a cozy wood-burning fire for both relaxation and warmth. Although curling up in front of a warm fire is a great feeling, wood-burning fireplaces can be expensive, a lot of work to maintain, and harmful to the environment and your health. That’s why Peoples is partnering with Pittsburgh Gas Grill & Heater Company and the Allegheny County Health Department to encourage our customers to convert their wood-burning fireplaces to natural gas logs.
Thanks to a generous grant funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Allegheny County Health Department, Pittsburgh Gas & Grill Heater Company is offering a $1,500 rebate for qualifying low-income customers and a $400 rebate for all other customers to purchase and install natural gas logs in place of an open-hearth wood-burning fireplace. To qualify for this discount, you must be a resident of Allegheny County converting your wood-burning fireplace to natural gas.
Spring has arrived, but it’s not too late to take advantage of the discounts through the conversion program and prepare your home for the next unpredictable Pittsburgh winter. Your future self will thank you for making the switch from a wood-burning fireplace to natural gas logs before the next wave of bitter temperatures settles into the region!
What are the benefits?
Natural gas logs eliminate the hassle of buying, storing, and cleaning up your wood-burning fireplace. Plus, gas logs reduce your environmental impact over a wood-burning fireplace.
Gas logs are operated either through a thermostat or remote control, making them safer, easier, and more convenient to operate. No more lugging wood inside for the fire! Plus, modern natural gas logs look very life-like, so you can save the money and time you spend buying and transporting wood, without sacrificing the natural look and coziness of your fireplace.
In addition to being safe and cost-effective, natural gas logs are also a much cleaner option for the environment than a wood-burning fireplace. The Environmental Protection Agency identifies natural gas logs as a more environmentally-friendly option than burning wood. A wood-burning fireplace can cause higher amounts of pollution, increase indoor asthma triggers, and harm overall indoor air quality. The pollution from a wood-burning fireplace not only poses health risks to people living in your home, but it increases your own personal carbon footprint.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible from the program, you must be an Allegheny County resident. Participants of the program must convert their wood-burning fireplaces to natural gas using vented natural gas logs (vent-less products do not qualify). Funds will be provided at two levels: $1,500 for low-income qualifying applicants and $400 for other applicants.
Voucher amounts will be awarded based on household income. Customers who qualify as low-income will receive a $1,500 discount, while customers who do not qualify as low-income will receive $400. Income qualification is based on household size. For example, a household of two people can qualify if their income is less than $31,336 per year, while a household of four people qualifies if their income is less than $46,082 per year.
How do I sign up?
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Submit an application to Allegheny County. Because the program is funded by Allegheny County, interested residents must first submit an application to the County.
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Receive a voucher. If approved, the County will give you a voucher, which you can redeem at Pittsburgh Gas Grill & Heater Company for up to four weeks.
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Select your vented natural gas logs. Once you receive a voucher, you will select a conversion option from Pittsburgh Gas Grill & Heater Company and make a commitment to purchase it. They will verify that your existing unit qualifies for conversion.
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Use your voucher and make the purchase. You must use your voucher and make the purchase within four weeks from the date the voucher was issued. Pittsburgh Gas Grill & Heater Company will accept the voucher as direct payment for the portion of the cost that the voucher covers, and they will reduce the price by the amount on the voucher. You will owe any remaining balance on the new gas logs. Pittsburgh Gas Grill & Heater Company will be reimbursed by the Allegheny County Health Department once the installation has been completed and verified.
To access the application, residents should download the form from the Allegheny County website’s “Fireplace Conversion Project” page. Residents can also visit the Pittsburgh Gas Grill & Heater Company to pick up a paper application or receive assistance registering online.
The paperwork can be filled out electronically and emailed, or printed out and mailed to:
Allegheny County Health Department
Air Quality Department
301 39th Street, Building 7
Pittsburgh, PA 15201