Rebates and tax credits in Michigan

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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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.

• Insulation rebates

  DTE Energy · Homes where DTE is the primary heat provider (most DTE natural gas and gas/electric customers); single-family homes of two or fewer units, built more than 24 months before the purchase

  Roof and attic $600 (at least 500 sq. ft.); above-grade wall $125 (250 sq. ft.); kneewall $25 (100 sq. ft.); rim/band joist $50 (50 sq. ft. plus all accessible rim joist); basement wall $50 (200 sq. ft.); crawl space wall $50 (100 sq. ft.); floor $50 (100 sq. ft.). Limited-time $250 bonus for attic insulation plus one more measure, installed September 15 to December 15, 2026 and applied for by December 18, 2026. No separate air sealing rebate.

  Ventilation not mentioned in what we readProgram page: Applications due within 6 months of purchase and by December 31, 2026

State tax credits

We didn’t find a Michigan 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 Michigan it’s run by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), through local weatherization operators.

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

• DTE's insulation rebates allow do-it-yourself or licensed contractor installs. Funding is limited and first-come, first-served. [s_dte_insul]
• MiHER also pays participating contractors a separate incentive of $150 per HEAR category (up to $500 per home). That is paid to contractors, not homeowners. [s_mi_contractor_inc]
• In May 2026 the U.S. Department of Energy changed the rules for these federal rebates, and states with running programs had about three months to update them. Michigan's offer may have changed. [s_doe_pn262, s_naseo_faq]