Orange County home rebates in 2026

SoCalGas rebates in 2026: which gas appliances qualify?

If your gas bill comes from SoCalGas, its rebate page lists these for homes, among others:

• Storage water heater: $300 to $575

  The heater must have a UEF (uniform energy factor) of 0.64 or higher and hold 55 gallons or less.

• Tankless water heater: $80 to $1,500

  Only when it replaces a tank-type unit in a single-family detached home.

• Furnace: $1.40 to $25 per kBTUh

  The furnace must have an AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency, the share of its fuel that becomes heat) of 92 percent or more, be installed by a licensed contractor with proof that the permit was closed, and there is a limit of one per household.

SoCalGas says the money is handed out first come, first served until December 31, 2026 or until it runs out. For what a replacement involves, see our water heater and heating and cooling guides.

As of October 9, 2026, from the SoCalGas rebates and incentives page.

What does SCE offer electric customers?

Southern California Edison's rebate page lists few amounts, so neither do we:

• Golden State Rebates: instant rebate coupons on air conditioners, smart thermostats, electric heat pump water heaters and gas water heaters, used at participating retailers.
• Smart thermostat bill credit: $75 when you let SCE adjust an eligible smart thermostat by up to four degrees during demand response events. Only on select rate plans.
• Home Performance Plus: a no-cost energy assessment and enhanced rebates for renters and single-family homeowners in disadvantaged communities. Amounts and deadlines are on the program's rebate page; confirm them there before you buy a heat pump water heater.
• Comfortably California: SCE says this program works through heating and cooling (HVAC) distributors and does not offer direct customer rebates.

As of October 2, 2026, from the SCE rebates and SCE Marketplace page.

Not every Orange County home gets its power from SCE. The City of Anaheim runs its own utility, Anaheim Public Utilities, and its appliance page lists $400 for an ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heater and $200 for an ENERGY STAR certified heat pump dryer, among smaller rebates.

As of October 2, 2026, from the Anaheim Public Utilities appliance rebates page.

For rooftop solar and batteries, including the end of the federal tax credit, see our solar and battery guide.

What water rebates can Orange County homeowners get?

SoCal Water$mart is the regional rebate program of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and it says rebates vary by water agency. Some Orange County agencies also list their own amounts.

• SoCal Water$mart (Metropolitan Water District)

  Turf replacement: $2.00 per square foot, up to 5,000 square feet of converted yard per year. You must apply and be approved before you start, then have 180 days to finish. The new yard needs at least 3 plants per 100 square feet, a feature that holds rain water, and irrigation changes; synthetic turf does not qualify. Trees planted as part of the project earn $100 each, up to 5, and your water agency may add its own rebate on top. Devices: premium high-efficiency toilets $40 each, rotating sprinkler nozzles $2 each (at least 30), high-efficiency clothes washers from $85. Amounts depend on funding.

  As of October 2, 2026, from the SoCal Water$mart turf replacement page.

• Irvine Ranch Water District

  Turf replacement $2 per square foot; drip irrigation $0.25 per square foot converted; rotating spray nozzles $4 each; rain barrels $35 each (two per household); cisterns $250 to $350; soil moisture sensors up to $80 on properties under an acre; smart hose bib controllers $35 (two per property); flow monitors with a $100 base incentive (no devices attached to the meter); high-efficiency toilets $40 each (up to nine); clothes washers from $85. IRWD also covers half the cost of sprinkler repairs through its repair program. It says amounts change with funding.

  As of October 2, 2026, from the IRWD residential rebates page.

• Mesa Water District

  Turf removal from $3 per square foot; drip irrigation from $1 per square foot; weather-based irrigation controllers from $80 on properties under an acre; soil moisture sensors up to $80; rotating nozzles $2 each (at least 15); rain barrels $35; cisterns $250 to $350; pool covers $50; flow monitors from $100; premium toilets from $40; clothes washers from $85.

  As of October 2, 2026, from the Mesa Water District rebates page.

• Santa Margarita Water District

  Residential turf removal $2 per square foot plus $1,000 for design plans; smart sprinkler timers $125; flow monitors $100; rain barrels and cisterns $35 to $350; high-efficiency nozzles $6; hose bib controllers $35; clothes washers $100; toilets $40; and up to $1,500 through H2OC RainSmart for rain gardens and barrels.

  As of October 2, 2026, from the Santa Margarita Water District rebates page.

Other Orange County water agencies run their own versions. We list only the pages we could open and read ourselves; if yours is not here, look up the agency on your water bill. Our Orange County maintenance checklist covers the sprinkler timer and irrigation checks by month.

Are heat pump rebates still available in California?

Not for most single-family homes right now. Three state programs, three statuses:

• TECH Clean California: reserved

  Since November 14, 2025, TECH Clean California's single-family heat pump water heater and heat pump HVAC incentives have been reserved statewide.

  As of October 2, 2026, from the TECH Clean California single-family incentives page.

• HEEHRA (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates): waitlist

  The California Energy Commission says that as of February 24, 2026, HEEHRA rebates for single-family homes are fully reserved statewide. The program offered up to $8,000 to households under 80 percent of area median income and up to $4,000 between 80 and 150 percent. Requests not approved by then went on a waitlist, and TECH Clean California says a waitlisted project only qualifies if the heat pump is installed after its reservation is approved. Central and Southern California had already been fully reserved since January 7, 2026.

  As of October 2, 2026, from the California Energy Commission rebate programs page.

• HOMES (Home Efficiency Rebates): not open

  The Energy Commission says HOMES rebates are not yet available. It reports a $291 million federal award approved in January 2025 and gives no date for homeowners to apply.

  As of October 2, 2026, from the California Energy Commission rebate programs page.

The SCE and Anaheim rebates above can still apply to a heat pump water heater.

Can I get a grant for an earthquake retrofit?

Possibly: Earthquake Brace + Bolt pays up to $3,000 toward retrofitting an older raised-foundation house, and more for income-qualified households; our earthquake retrofit guide covers who qualifies and how to apply.

As of October 2, 2026, from the Earthquake Brace + Bolt program page.

How do I avoid losing a rebate?

Apply first when the program requires it, as turf replacement and waitlisted HEEHRA projects do. Pull the permit: SoCalGas wants proof the furnace permit was closed, and our permits guide covers which jobs need one. Efficiency ratings like UEF and AFUE decide eligibility, so confirm the exact model number against the program's list before you buy.

On a lower income? Some upgrades can be free, and several cities help pay for repairs; see our home repair help guide.

City pages with local notes: Irvine, Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Rancho Santa Margarita and Huntington Beach. Or see every city on the Orange County hub.

OakTend does not run, fund or guarantee any of these programs, and this is not tax or financial advice.