Our discussion on how to save energy at home briefly hits on more than 30 changes you can can make in and around your home, from cheap-yet-effective steps to upgrades that require upfront spending, but quickly pay for themselves from lower utility bills to systems and renovations that minimize what you pull off the grid, but come at steep prices.

Often, the extra costs of energy-saving improvements can be reduced by tax credits and utility company rebates. But on July 4, President Trump signed into law a sprawling bill that ended generous tax credits for green-energy projects. You can still claim the “Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit” when preparing your 2025 tax return, but you must complete and pay for eligible projects by December 31.

Below are the energy-saving rebate programs available at the time of this writing. We didn’t include low-interest loan programs or incentives available for new home construction. We also didn’t look for community grants for multi-home projects or programs for owners of commercial buildings. There are also many programs available to landlords of apartment buildings.

Check EnergyStar.gov and the links below for up-to-date info. Also check the website of the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE).

Act Fast to Take Advantage of Canceled Federal Tax Credits

You can still claim the “Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit” if you complete and pay for projects by the end of 2025. This incentive provides tax breaks to homeowners who make green improvements to their primary residences. The credit is equal to 30 percent of the cost of the following types of eligible projects; for some there are individual annual maximum allowable credits:

• Air-sealing and insulation improvements—no cap
• Central ACs—$300 cap for most systems
• Energy audits—$150 cap
• Exterior doors—$250 per door, $500 limit for multiple doors
• Gas and oil furnaces—$600 cap for units with 97+ AFUE
• Windows and skylights—$600 cap

If you do more than one of the projects listed above there’s a maximum tax credit of $1,200 each year.

A separate tax credit of up to $2,000 is available if you buy a qualifying heat pump, heat pump water heater, or biomass stove or boiler (for example, one that burns wood pellets). That credit also goes away at the end of 2025.

If you install a ground-source heat pump or solar panels you may qualify for a 30 percent federal tax credit with no cap. Again, you have to complete all work by the end of 2025 to get the incentive.

Rebate Programs Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act Languish

The new law that ended energy efficiency tax credits did not cancel rebate programs authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. The District implemented its program during the Biden administration and it appears that it is still taking applications and awarding rebates; visit the website of D.C.’s Sustainable Energy Utility to see if you’re eligible. But for other states, President Trump’s administration has slowed or halted approvals for these programs, and it’s still unclear whether rebate programs s for Maryland and Virginia residents will ever launch.

The IRA allotted more than $350 billion for energy and climate programs by establishing incentives for U.S. households and businesses to shift to technologies that consume less energy and cut greenhouse-gas emissions. About $80 billion of that was earmarked for rebates of up to $14,000 per household for making green energy upgrades over the next decade. The largest rebates would have encouraged households to switch to heat pumps to heat and cool their homes. These aren’t tax credits; they’re point-of-sale rebates that homeowners will receive as discounts as they make preapproved improvements.

The IRA required each state to create its own rebate program and then submit its plans to the Department of Energy for approval. Only a handful of states, plus the District, received funding prior to Trump’s inauguration. Since then, no new state rebate programs have launched, including those for Maryland or Virginia. We’Il let you know if and when these generous rebate programs become available in those states.

Local Incentive Programs

Listed below are incentives from local utility companies in effect in July 2025. Programs come and go; check with your utility and the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency for up-to-date info.

Before starting a project, confirm that you qualify. Rebate programs usually require homeowners to work with the utility’s “approved” contractors or to file paperwork before installations.

D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility

• Air purifiers—$50 rebate
• Air-source heat pumps that use ducts—$1,000 to $5,000 rebate
• Air-source mini-split (ductless) heat pumps—$1,000 to $5,000 rebate
• Central air conditioners—$250 rebate
• Clothes dryers (conventional electric)—$175 to $600 rebate
• Clothes dryers (heat pump)—$400 to $800 rebate
• Clothes washers—$75 to $100 rebate
• Combination washer/dryer units—$250 to $700 rebate
• Dehumidifiers—$35 rebate
• Heat pump water heaters—$750 to $1,600 rebate
• Lawn mowers—$75 rebate for electric push models; $500 rebate for electric riding models
• Programmable thermostats—up to $50 rebate
• Ranges/stovetops (electric)—$400 to $800 rebate
• Refrigerators—$75 to $100 rebate
• Window air conditioners—$150 rebate

Pepco Customers in Maryland

• Clothes washers—$100 discount
• Dehumidifiers—$30 to $50 rebate or discount
• Heat pump water heaters—$1,600 rebate
• Programmable thermostats—$100 rebate
• Refrigerator recycling—$50 credit plus free pickup

Pepco’s “Home Performance with Energy Star Program” also offers its Maryland customers generous incentives for making significant energy-saving improvements.

Start by contacting Pepco to schedule an assessment, which costs $100. During the inspection, the contractor will provide free LED bulbs and smart power strips, insulate water heater pipes, and install efficient shower heads and faucet aerators. The assessment will also provide a list of recommended improvements, many of which are eligible for rebates. If recommended, rebates are available for upgrades for attic air sealing and insulation improvements and replacing HVAC units, windows, doors, and water heaters with more energy-efficient models

For each type of project, rebate amounts vary depending on estimated energy savings from doing it. Pepco says the average rebate amount is $2,500; for most projects, the maximum rebate is equal to 75 percent of project costs, up to an overall $10,000 cap.

Washington Gas Customers in Maryland

• Gas furnaces—$500 rebate for units with 95 to 96 AFUE; $700 for units with 97+ AFUE
• Boiler furnaces—$475 to $775 rebate, depending on model
• Gas clothes dryers—$100 rebate
• Gas fireplaces, direct-vent units—$75 rebate
• Storage water heaters—$175 rebate
• Tankless water heaters—$450 rebate

Virginia Dominion Energy Customers

• Heat pump water heaters—$400 rebate
• Programmable thermostats—$50 rebate or discount

Dominion’s “Home Energy Evaluation Program” offers the following rebates for improvements recommended during a comprehensive energy audit performed by one of its participating contractors:

• Air sealing—$25 to $200 rebate, depending on HVAC equipment and overall leakage reduction
• Duct insulation on heat pump or central AC system—$70 rebate
• Duct sealing—$109 to $300 rebate, depending on HVAC equipment and overall leakage reduction
• Faucets and showerheads—for electric water heaters, $6.50 to $42.87 rebate per approved fixture, depending on type
• Heat pump new installs—$1,000 to $1,500 rebate, depending on efficiency of new unit, when replacing home-wide electric baseboard heating system with air-source heat pump; $195 rebate per unit when replacing home-wide electric baseboard heating system with ductless mini-split heat pumps
• Heat pump replacements—$156 to $312 rebate, depending on efficiency of new unit
• Insulation, attic—$.05 to $1.20 per square foot rebate depending on HVAC equipment and type of insulation added
• Insulation, crawlspace—$.05 to $.30 per square foot rebate
• Insulation, hot water pipes—$4.03 to $6.07 rebate per foot
• Insulation, walls—$.05 to $.30 per square foot rebate depending on HVAC equipment and type of insulation added
• LED lightbulbs—$4.24 to $15.09 rebate per bulb, depending on type; max limit of 45 per home
• Programmable thermostats—$40 to $90 rebate, depending on HVAC equipment

Washington Gas Customers in Virginia

• Gas furnaces—$500 rebate for units with 95 to 96.9 AFUE; $700 for units with 97+ AFUE
• Boiler furnaces—$750 rebate for units with 95+ AFUE
• Duel fuel heat pumps, with new furnace replacement—$2,600 rebate for 15.2+ SEER heat pumps and 95+ AFUE furnaces
• Duel fuel heat pumps, without furnace replacement—$2,000 rebate for 15.2+ SEER heat pumps
• Smart thermostats—$100 rebate
• Storage water heaters—$200 to $300 rebate
• Tankless water heaters—$400 rebate

Additional Resources to Help You Go Green at Home

Consumer Reports
Ratings of appliances, lightbulbs, window AC units, etc.

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
Rebates and tax incentives available from utilities and governments

Earth911.com
Green tips, plus database of recycling centers and where to dispose of hazardous household waste

Efficient Windows Collaborative
Help with window selection and estimating cost savings

Energy Star
Certifies energy-efficient appliances and HVAC equipment

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Research and publications on renewables; offers a calculator that estimates energy production and cost of solar installations

Passive House Institute U.S.
Certification and training for net-zero energy-use builders, contractors, and manufacturers

Residential Energy Services Network
Certification for energy auditors

Rewiring America
Educational resources; tracks public policy for electrification projects

Snugg Pro
User-friendly web-based energy-auditing software

YouTube.com
Thousands of DIY videos from experts (but also non-experts)

Zero Energy Project
Advice and lists of products and suppliers for home buyers, builders, and designers interested in net-zero energy-use homes