Checked October 19, 2026

Rebates and tax credits in Kentucky

Federal tax credits ended for work done after 2025. What still helps pay for fresh air in Kentucky is below, checked October 19, 2026. Programs change and money runs out, so check each one’s own page before you buy or sign.

Money toward an HRV or ERVOther states
HRV or ERV, in plain words
  • Fresh in, stale out Two fans swap stale indoor air for outdoor air all night, and can supply a closed bedroom.
  • Keeps much of the heat The two streams pass through a core, so winter air comes in warmed. An open window can’t.
  • HRV or ERV? HRV: heat recovery ventilator (heat). ERV: energy recovery ventilator (heat and some moisture).
  • Not a purifier A purifier cleans the air you have but brings none in, so CO2 stays put.

Measure first: you may not need one.HRV vs ERV guideUnits we’ve reviewed

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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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.

HEAR in Kentucky

Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (also called HEEHR)

Not launched yetVentilation not confirmed

Kentucky's Home Energy Rebates (HER and HEAR), run by the Energy and Environment Cabinet's Office of Energy Policy, are not available yet. The program FAQ says "Kentucky Home Energy Rebates are not yet available" and that launch waits on DOE's unconditional approval and release of funds. The Cabinet's page lists appliance and HVAC upgrades, insulation, air sealing and electrical upgrades, and does not mention ventilation. Rebates will not be paid for projects finished before launch, and self-installed work is not eligible.

Who qualifies: Based on Area Median Income, with the highest rebates for lower-income households. The FAQ lists participants in programs such as LIHEAP, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and Section 8 as categorically eligible. No dollar limits are stated.

HOMES in Kentucky

Whole-home rebates, based on modeled or measured savings

Not launched yetVentilation not confirmed

Kentucky's Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) will use the modeled savings pathway. Final rebate amounts have not been set. Rebates will be taken off the price at installation by a program-approved contractor. Not yet available.

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.

  • Home Energy Improvement Program (HEIP)

    Kentucky Power · Kentucky Power residential customers in single-family, multifamily or mobile homes with an electric HVAC system

    Home energy audits with free installed items (such as weatherstripping), plus rebates (customer pays up front) for attic insulation, air sealing, duct sealing, duct insulation and floor insulation above a crawlspace. Per-measure amounts are not stated in the guide.

    Electric HVAC system required. Offered until funds run out. Covers program years 2025 through 2027. The quick reference guide does not mention ventilation.

    Ventilation not mentioned in what we readProgram page: Program years 2025 to 2027

State tax credits

We didn’t find a Kentucky 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 Kentucky it’s run by Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC).

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

  • LG&E and KU announced on April 11, 2025 residential rebates for ENERGY STAR central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces and heat pump water heaters, and a free online home energy audit with a mailed kit that includes caulking. The announcement does not list insulation, air sealing or ventilation rebates. (source s14)
  • No utility rebate naming HRVs or ERVs was found among the utilities checked.

Not tax or legal advice. We list what each program’s own pages said on the date shown, never which to choose, and we don’t know whether you qualify.

Sources