Who qualifies for the ARS Cares program to receive a free HVAC system or water heater?
Short answer
Homeowners facing financial hardship, medical challenges, or military service who reside within an ARS service area qualify for the ARS Cares program. Nominees must own and occupy their home, be submitted by a community member during active 30-day campaign windows, and pass a technical site assessment. Selected recipients receive a complete heating, cooling, or water heater replacement covering 100 percent of equipment, labor, and permit costs at zero expense.
The ARS Cares program qualifies nominated community members facing hardship in ARS service areas who are selected through a public submission process for a complimentary heating, cooling, or water heater installation.
Major mechanical failures create immediate safety risks for vulnerable homeowners facing financial constraints. In 2024, complete residential HVAC replacements average $5,000 to $12,000, leaving fixed-income households, seniors, and veterans struggling to restore essential heating, cooling, or domestic hot water.
If you only do one thing: Submit a detailed nomination during active campaign windows that thoroughly documents the recipient's specific equipment failure, financial hardship, and local community involvement.
- Nomination-Based Entry: Candidates cannot purchase entry; they must be put forward by neighbors, family, or community members via the official ARS nomination portal during designated 30-day program cycles.
- Demonstrated Hardship: Selection committees prioritize homeowners facing severe financial distress, medical challenges, active military service, veteran status, or notable civic and volunteer contributions across ARS branch territories.
- Equipment Replacement Scope: Selected recipients receive 1 complete system replacement, ranging from high-efficiency central air conditioners and furnaces to tankless or 40-to-50-gallon water heaters tailored to the home.
- Technical Site Assessment: Prior to installation, technicians conduct a 1-to-2-hour on-site survey to verify 100A to 200A electrical service capacity, duct static pressure, and fuel gas piping sizing.
- Turnkey Installation: The program covers 100% of equipment costs, certified labor, refrigerant charging, system testing, old unit disposal, and local municipal permitting at zero cost to the homeowner.
- Watch out for: Non-owner-occupied properties, as rental units and commercial buildings do not qualify due to deed ownership and municipal permit requirements.
- Watch out for: Strict nomination deadlines, because ARS Cares operates during scheduled seasonal campaign windows rather than as a continuous 365-day open grant.
- Watch out for: Unresolved pre-existing electrical panel or ductwork hazards, which may require separate code compliance upgrades before a new 240V system can be safely energized.
Contact ARS/Rescue Rooter at 866-399-2885 or visit your local branch page online to check current ARS Cares nomination schedules and submission criteria.