Rebates and tax credits in New York

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 New York 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 New York 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.

• EmPower+

  NYSERDA · Income-eligible owners and renters of 1 to 4 family homes statewide

  Low-income: no-cost improvements up to $12,000 upstate or $14,000 downstate. Moderate-income: 50% of project cost up to $6,000 upstate or $7,000 downstate. HEAR adds up to $1,600 for air sealing, insulation and ventilation.

  Also pays toward ventilation

• Comfort Home

  NYSERDA · New York homes; eligibility is checked through NYSERDA's MyEnergy portal

  $2,500 (air sealing plus attic and rim joist insulation) or $3,000 (adds wall and floor insulation); $2,000 add-on for ENERGY STAR windows after air sealing and insulation. Work is done by a NYSERDA-approved contractor, and the home must meet the whole package. Westchester projects may get more through a NYSERDA and Con Edison program.

  Ventilation not mentioned in what we read

State tax credits

We didn’t find a New York 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 and insulation for households that qualify by income. Your state energy office can say who runs it.

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

• We found no New York utility or NYSERDA rebate that names HRVs or ERVs. NYSERDA's heating, cooling and ventilation program list does not include one. (source s38)
• NYSERDA's early HEAR rollout prioritized switching oil and propane homes to heat pumps. DOE's May 2026 rule change (Program Notice 26-2, effective May 29, 2026) removed HEAR rebates for that kind of switch and gave launched programs three months to change, so New York's HEAR details may change. Ventilation is still a HEAR project type. (sources s33, s39, s40)
• EmPower+ income rules and incentives are changing in phases under a May 2025 Public Service Commission order (NYSERDA, January 2026). (source s37)
• We did not confirm New York's Weatherization Assistance Program administrator or any state tax break yet.