Countywide : Edison Offering Free Device to Cool Homes

There’s a device that can help keep homes cool, save energy and cut electric bills--and it’s free.

That’s the deal that Southern California Edison Co. is offering low-income customers, a company spokesman said.

The utility is offering free evaporative coolers, better known as “swamp coolers,” to qualified low-income customers who now use air conditioners.

Purchase and installation costs are subsidized by a federal government grant, Edison spokesman Gene Carter said.

To be eligible, Edison customers must meet income requirements and obtain a home energy audit--also free--from the utility.

The swamp cooler will be installed free if it is recommended as a cost-effective alternative to the existing room or central air conditioner, Carter said. Both homeowners and renters may qualify for the free devices, but renters must get the property owner’s permission to install the coolers.

For more information, call Edison’s toll-free conservation action line at (800) 952-5062.