Home Energy Solutions - Income Eligible (HES-IE) Program Overview
If your energy bills feel overwhelming and your home feels drafty, we can help.
You may qualify for a no-cost energy assessment if your family’s combined gross annual income is below the state’s 60 percent income median for your family size. See the breakdown for current income requirements in the Who Is Eligible for HES-IE section of this page.
Through this program, a technician certified by the Building Performance Institute will come to your home and make energy-saving improvements and help you save on your energy bills.
Customers are eligible to participate in Home Energy Solutions℠ if your home has not received these program services within the last 6 years.
If your home qualifies for additional services such as insulation, windows, or heating and cooling systems, they will arrange for contractors to come back to your home and do the work. Depending on the circumstances of your home, you may receive incentives for these services, including up to 100% off on approved insulation projects.
Read How to Apply for the Home Energy Solutions - Income Eligible program section below to find out how to sign up.
Call 877-WISE-USE (877-947-3873) for more information.
Please note that there is a possibility that a Quality Assurance Inspector will be on site or will contact you post-assessment and service for an inspection.
How to apply for Home Energy Solutions - Income Eligible ➞
If you’re a residential customer of Eversource, UI, CNG, or SCG who meets income-eligibility requirements you may qualify for this program. To determine if you are income-eligible, locate your family size on the chart below and the dollar amount next to it. If your family’s combined gross annual income does not exceed this amount, you meet the state’s 60 percent income median and qualify for the program.
Income Guidelines for the 2024–2025 Fuel Season:
Yearly Income Limits (All Household Members)
Family Size | Maximum Annual Income |
---|---|
1 | Under $45,505 |
2 | Under $59,507 |
3 | Under $73,509 |
4 | Under $87,511 |
5 | Under $101,512 |
6 | Under $115,514 |
7 | Under $118,139 |
8 | Under $120,765 |
Additional Criteria:
- Assets, like your home and car, are not included
- You may also qualify if you meet your utility’s hardship criteria. Please contact your utility to find out more.
- If you rent your home, your landlord must complete the Landlord Service Agreement that is included with the application
- If your home has received a Home Energy Solutions or Home Energy Solutions - Income Eligible energy assessment within the last 6 years, you are not eligible to participate again. If your family’s combined gross annual income is above the state’s 60 percent income median, you may qualify to participate in Home Energy Solutions℠.
If you are a Connecticut resident and are not served by one of the utilities listed above, please visit your utility’s website to see what energy efficiency programs are available to you. Please click here for information on how to contact your municipal utility.
Call 877-WISE-USE (877-947-3873) for more information.
Apply to your local utility by mail.
Download the English HES-IE Application or the Spanish HES-IE Application and mail it to the appropriate return address on page 4.
- If you have difficulty downloading the application please call 1-877-WISE-USE to have an application mailed to you.
- If you rent, we will need your landlord to sign a form permitting us to perform the energy-saving services. You are responsible for getting your landlord’s signature on the form.
- If you receive fuel assistance through your local Community Action Program (CAP) agency, you may also apply through their office.
Your utility will review your application. If you qualify, they will assign an authorized contractor, or your CAP agency will contact you and ask you to provide them with your name, address, and contact information. If you do not qualify, the utility will contact you and suggest other programs that might help you.
A local utility-authorized contractor or your CAP agency will contact you to schedule your service with a certified technician.
(Note: Because of high demand for this program, there may be a waiting list. The program is subject to available funding.)
a) The technician completes your home energy assessment and energy-saving services which begins with important health and safety tests.
b) The technician will offer you a Department of Energy Home Energy Score – it is like a miles per gallon rating for your home.
c) Next, the technician pinpoints drafts and air leaks using a blower-door test. Then they seal the leaks to reduce the drafts and help keep warmed or cooled air in your home.
d) If you have forced hot air or central air conditioning, the technician tests your ductwork to check airflow and seals any major leaks so conditioned air is properly distributed throughout your home.
e) The technician may install energy-saving fixtures, including low-flow showerheads, and faucet aerators so you can start saving right away.
f) The visit ends with a kitchen table wrap-up. The technician reviews the work done around your home and discusses any deeper energy-saving measures they plan to install. These may include:
- Insulation
- ENERGY STAR® certified windows to replace single-pane windows
- Heating, cooling and water heating upgrades
- ENERGY STAR certified appliances to replace old, inefficient appliances. This may include a $500 voucher to purchase an efficient refrigerator
The technician gives you a Home Energy Solutions - Income Eligible program booklet and report, which shows the areas of your home that were serviced during the visit. It includes information about easy ways to save energy wherever you live, and it contains utility and state resources that can help make your energy bills more manageable.
Please note that there is a possibility that a Quality Assurance Inspector will be on site or will contact you post-assessment and service for an inspection.
Note: As our contractors continue to conduct in-home energy assessments, they are required to diligently follow state-mandated safety protocols to ensure your safety and the protection of their team members. The Sponsors of Energize ConnecticutSM remain committed to delivering high-quality home energy assessments and services while prioritizing the health and safety of all. If you have a question about our safety procedures and requirements, please use the Contact Us form to reach out.
If your home qualifies for additional energy-saving measures, then your contractor will coordinate qualifying installations. In some cases, your landlord may be asked to pay some of the costs of these deeper energy-saving measures.
That’s it! Your savings begin with your energy assessment, so don’t delay. Sign up now.
Call 877-WISE-USE (877-947-3873) for more information.
Additional Offerings ➞
Personalized tips and recommendations for saving energy right from the comfort of your home. Take the online home energy assessment.
Similar to the miles per gallon (MPG) rating on your car, the Home Energy Score is a way to see how much energy your home uses compared to others and guide your home improvement decisions. Administered by the U.S. Department of Energy, this score is available to Home Energy Solutions program participants. You may opt-in at the start of your scheduled Home Energy Solutions visit.
If you’re struggling to pay your monthly energy bills, Eversource, UI, SCG, and CNG offer programs to help.
An electric bill discount rate is available for customers with financial hardship status on their account, based on household income or receipt of a public assistance benefit. You may be eligible for a 10% or 50% discount off your electric bill per month. For example, if you have a $100 monthly bill, it would be $10 less if you receive a 10% discount or $50 less if you receive the 50% discount. Eligibility is determined by household size and income or at least one member of your household’s participation in a public assistance benefit.
For more information and instructions on how to apply, please visit: UI | Eversource
If your home has a crumbling foundation that has been verified either by chemical analysis or by a qualified Professional Engineer, we can help by providing special offerings and energy efficiency services and equipment.
Call 877-WISE-USE (877-947-3873) to learn more and apply.
If you qualify, this program could help remove any health and safety barriers to enable weatherization services.
Case Studies
“The services were the best thing ever! They insulated from the inside out and from the outside in. I’m really happy! I haven’t had to order oil in three months which saves me money.”
Cynthia L., East Hartford
“On a low income, upgrading your appliances to be more energy-efficient is a lot of money to put out, but this program helped me to do it.”
Ruth S., Milford
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