Rebates and tax credits in District of Columbia

Money toward an HRV or ERV

Programs that pay toward the unit itself. Some take the money off at the distributor, so ask whether an installer’s price already includes it.

We didn’t find a program in District of Columbia that names HRVs or ERVs. Your electric and gas utilities are still worth asking: search “[utility] HRV rebate” and “[utility] ERV rebate”.

Federal home energy rebates

Federal money that District of Columbia runs. HEAR has a category for “insulation, air sealing, and ventilation” worth up to $1,600 for households under 150% of area median income; each state decides what counts as ventilation. ENERGY STAR’s table for HEAR says this category requires ENERGY STAR certification, and ENERGY STAR’s U.S. criteria for ventilation cover fans, not HRVs or ERVs, so ask the program whether an HRV or ERV counts before relying on it. HOMES pays toward whole-home upgrades modeled to save energy.

Air sealing and insulation

These programs are more common than ventilation rebates, and sealing a house is often what makes it need planned fresh air. If a program is sealing yours, ask whether it requires ventilation afterward and whether it pays for it.

We didn’t find a statewide or large-utility air sealing program in District of Columbia. Check your utilities’ rebate pages.

State tax credits

We didn’t find a District of Columbia tax credit for ventilation, air sealing or insulation, and couldn’t confirm there is none.

Low-income help

The federal Weatherization Assistance Program can pay for air sealing, insulation and, where needed, ventilation at no cost to households that qualify by income. In District of Columbia it’s run by DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), which assigns each approved household to a nonprofit that arranges the work; income below 60% of State Median Income, or a household member receiving TANF or SSI. A LIHEAP application comes first..

Before you sign

1. Don’t start work yet. Many programs need pre-approval, a participating contractor or a test first, and work begun early often can’t qualify.
2. Write down your electric and gas utilities. Rebates usually follow the utility, not the town.
3. Read the conditions: a listed contractor, a qualifying model, your heating fuel, income limits, and install and claim deadlines.
4. Ask each installer whether any discount is already in their price, and who files the paperwork.
5. Get it in writing: each rebate, who applies for it, and what happens to the price if it’s denied.

More on costs and how to check: What drives the cost of ventilation and How to compare quotes.

Worth knowing

• DCSEU says the no-cost AHEP installation may count as taxable income. (source s23)
• The waitlist notice covered DC's fiscal year 2026, which ended September 30, 2026. We found no fiscal year 2027 update. (source s23)
• DOE changed the federal HEAR rules in May 2026 (Program Notice 26-2, effective May 29, 2026): HEAR can no longer pay to replace gas, oil or propane equipment with electric, and launched programs had three months to change. DC's AHEP is built around that kind of switch, so its rules may change. (sources s39, s40)
• DCSEU's residential rebates for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) cover appliances, heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, window air conditioners and electrical service work. They include no rebate for insulation, air sealing, ventilation fans, HRVs or ERVs, and the electrical service rebates apply only when replacing gas or oil equipment. (sources s46, s47)
• DC's Weatherization Assistance Program lists insulation, duct sealing, air sealing ("air infiltration mitigation"), heating and cooling repair or replacement, and mold remediation; ventilation is not named. Its page says WAP openings are delayed this fiscal year; it shows fiscal year 2026 income guidelines (for example $61,841 for 1 person) and an FY2027 application. (source s48)
• We found no DC program, from DCSEU or DOEE, that pays for insulation or air sealing outside the income-qualified Weatherization Assistance Program. DOEE's program summary lists DCSEU rebates only for appliances, HVAC equipment, lighting and smart thermostats. (sources s49, s46)