Mar. 4--Lou Weiss has a $2 million problem.

Too few Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers have sought subsidized loans to install high-efficiency heaters or air conditioners in their homes, and the program expires March 31.

In an effort to give more use of the loan fund, the program sponsor will even give a $100 donation to San Joaquin County charities for each borrower referred by the charity or, in the case of United Way of San Joaquin, the media.

The California Public Utilities Commission originally allocated $5 million, from a special fund supported by utility fees, to provide loans in hot-climate areas of the state served by PG&E or Southern California Edison. In running the loan program, the Electric & Gas Industries Association tried to get the word out though qualified contractors.

However, response lagged.

"There's actually too much money left," said Weiss, who's working with the EGIA to boost participation.

"If a consumer gets in their application by the deadline, by March 31, even if they don't get their installation for a month or so later ... they are eligible for the money," he said.

While the low-cost loan and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems can save consumers thousands of dollars, it can be a hard sell, said Bob Barnett, owner of Barnett Heating and Air Conditioning in Modesto.

"We've participated in EGIA programs in the past and other programs they have going currently. They are really good programs," he said.

The challenge we have, though ... is it's hard to get customers to hear about, it because they feel they are going to get a sales pitch," Barnett said. "Everybody is afraid of salesmen, they're afraid of buying something they don't want."

Still, the program offers tremendous cost savings, Weiss said.

The average homeowner will save roughly $2,800 in interest costs alone, as the program cuts interest rates as much as 6 percent on an average loan of about $7,000, he explained.

Even after the loan is paid off, the homeowner will benefit from lower utility bills, as new high-efficiency systems can more than pay for themselves, Barnett said.

And it could be a welcome new source of support for United Way of San Joaquin, said Andy Prokop, the group's president.

He noted that the area United Way distributes 100 percent of employee paycheck deductions to local charities. To pay its overhead costs, such as staff wages and utilities, it relies on direct contributions, primarily from area business and community leaders.

Donations from the energy-efficiency program could help defray general expenses.

"It was just a different way to get donations sent into your United Way," Prokop said.

To help spread the word about the loan program, the United Way has sent out e-mail messages and included it in its latest newsletter.