Short answer
What is the Weatherization Assistance Program?
It is a U.S. Department of Energy program, run by states and local providers, that lowers energy costs for low income households by making their homes more energy efficient while keeping them safe. (DOE, Weatherization Assistance Program) Under DOE guidelines, households at or below 200 percent of the poverty guidelines or getting Supplemental Security Income are eligible, and a state may use the LIHEAP limit of 60 percent of state median income instead. Homeowners and renters can both apply through their local provider. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance)
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Income rule | At or below 200 percent of the poverty guidelines, or getting SSI; a state may use 60 percent of state median income | DOE, How to Apply |
| Priority | Older people, families with a member with a disability, families with children, high energy users, households with a high energy burden | DOE, How to Apply |
| Renters | May apply; the provider gets the landlord's permission before work starts | DOE, How to Apply |
| What happens | Energy audit, work on the most cost effective measures, final inspection | DOE, How to Apply |
| Waitlist | Income eligible households are placed on a waitlist | DOE, How to Apply |
| Savings | An estimated $372 or more a year on average, per a DOE national evaluation | DOE, Weatherization Assistance Program |
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance Verified .
Your local weatherization provider decides eligibility and what work is done. Benefit Bull is free and never applies for you.
DOE says weatherization serves about 32,000 homes a year with DOE funds and has served more than 7.2 million families since it began in 1976. (DOE, Weatherization Assistance Program) It is not a bill payment program and not a general home repair program. It is an energy efficiency program built around an audit of your home.
That design explains most of what surprises people: you cannot pick the upgrades, renters need the landlord on board, and there is usually a wait. The sections below cover each one, then the exact route in each of our five states.
Who may qualify for weatherization?
Income is the main factor. Under DOE guidelines, households at or below 200 percent of the poverty income guidelines, or that receive Supplemental Security Income, are eligible. Each state may instead use LIHEAP's limit of 60 percent of state median income. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance) Priority goes to older people, families with one or more members with a disability, families with children, high energy users, and households with a high energy burden. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance)
Texas and Indiana both publish 200 percent of the 2026 poverty guidelines for weatherization, and their yearly figures match:
| Household size | Yearly income at 200 percent |
|---|---|
| 1 | $31,920 |
| 2 | $43,280 |
| 3 | $54,640 |
| 4 | $66,000 |
| 5 | $77,360 |
| 6 | $88,720 |
| 7 | $100,080 |
| 8 | $111,440 |
Sources for the table: (TDHCA, Community Affairs Income Guidelines) (IHCDA, Weatherization) Texas also runs a LIHEAP funded weatherization program at 150 percent of the guidelines. (TDHCA, Community Affairs Income Guidelines) Indiana also serves households deemed eligible for its Energy Assistance Program, and lists the 200 percent figure for one person as $2,660 a month. (IHCDA, Weatherization)
An example, using our own arithmetic on that table: a household of 4 with about $5,000 a month in income has about $60,000 a year, under the $66,000 figure, so in Texas or Indiana it may be income eligible. The provider makes the call.
Find your household size in the table, then check your own state's limit with the provider before you rule yourself out.
What work does weatherization actually do?
It starts with an energy audit. DOE describes it as a computerized assessment of your home's energy use that includes an analysis of your energy bills, a blower door test to measure how much outside air leaks in, and an inspection of your energy equipment and living areas for improvements and health and safety issues. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance)
- Audit. A professional energy auditor visits your home. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance)
- Scope of work. The auditor recommends the most cost effective energy conservation measures for your home, and the provider explains how the work will be done and how long it should take. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance)
- Work. In Texas, that can include caulking, weather stripping, ceiling, wall, and floor insulation, patching holes, duct work, and tune up, repair, or replacement of inefficient heating and cooling systems. (TDHCA, Weatherization Assistance Program)
- Final inspection. An inspector checks that the work meets the Standard Work Specifications and that equipment runs safely. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance)
What about new windows or a new roof? Because the audit decides the work, no single item is promised. Indiana says plainly that weatherization is not an emergency or home repair program, so roofing, siding, and window replacement are typically not allowed. (IHCDA, Weatherization)
Be home for the audit and point out drafty rooms, a furnace that struggles, and any safety worries. That is the information the scope of work is built on.
Is weatherization free?
In Indiana and Massachusetts, the official sources say yes. Here is what each source says:
- Indiana. IHCDA says its local providers offer free weatherization services, a free energy audit, and upgrades installed at no cost to the client. (IHCDA, Weatherization)
- Massachusetts. You apply for weatherization with the same application as fuel assistance (HEAP), and Mass.gov says that program is 100% free for those who qualify and warns about scams charging an application fee. (Mass.gov, Home Energy Assistance Programs) (Mass.gov, Learn about HEAP)
- Texas. TDHCA runs weatherization with DOE funds and federal LIHEAP funds. (TDHCA, Weatherization Assistance Program) The federal LIHEAP office says LIHEAP does not charge a fee for receiving a benefit. (HHS ACF, LIHEAP)
If anyone asks you to pay to apply, stop and call your state's weatherization office or the HHS fraud hotline at 1-800-447-8477. (HHS ACF, LIHEAP) You submit your application yourself on the official site. Benefit Bull is free and never files for you.
Ask the provider at the start whether any part of the work would cost you anything, and get the answer in writing.
Can renters get weatherization?
Yes. DOE says both homeowners and renters are eligible to apply. If you rent, the provider works with you and your landlord to get permission before any work begins. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance) Indiana also says its program is open to both renters and owners. (IHCDA, Weatherization)
If your heat is included in your rent, energy assistance has its own rules; see Heat Included in Your Rent? How Energy Assistance Works for Renters.
Tell your landlord you are applying and ask whether they will sign off if the provider calls. A quick yes can keep your place on the list moving.
Is there a waitlist for weatherization?
Usually, yes. After you apply and send proof of income, your local provider decides whether you are income eligible, and if you are, your name goes on a waitlist. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance) DOE does not publish wait times, and neither do the state pages we read.
In Indiana, the provider contacts you when your home comes up on the list, and a home that was weatherized before through the program may not be eligible again. (IHCDA, Weatherization)
Apply now rather than waiting for a cold snap, and keep your phone number current with the provider so you do not miss the call.
How do you apply in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Indiana, Texas, and Kentucky?
DOE's first step everywhere is to find your state weatherization administrator, then your local provider. Most states send you to a local provider rather than a statewide online form. Your provider will ask for proof of income, such as pay stubs or Social Security payments. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance)
| State | How to apply | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | One HEAP application covers fuel assistance (HEAP), heating system repair (HEARTWAP), and weatherization (WAP). Apply online at mass.gov/heatinghelp or through your local agency. | Mass.gov, Home Energy Assistance Programs; Mass.gov press release, October 5, 2026 |
| Minnesota | The 2026 to 2027 Minnesota Energy Programs Application covers Energy Assistance, Energy Conservation and Optimization, and weatherization. You may be eligible for weatherization even if your income is higher than the Energy Assistance limits. Contact Commerce's weatherization page or call 1-800-657-3710. | Minnesota Commerce, 2026 to 2027 Energy Programs Application |
| Indiana | Contact the Local Service Provider for your county, found on IHCDA's weatherization page map. Questions: iwx@ihcda.in.gov. | IHCDA, Weatherization |
| Texas | Local subrecipients cover all 254 counties. Find yours on TDHCA's Help for Texans page under Weatherization. For bill help, see Texas Utility Help (CEAP). | TDHCA, Weatherization Assistance Program; TDHCA, Help for Texans |
| Kentucky | Use DOE's state map to reach Kentucky's weatherization administrator. We have not verified Kentucky specific rules on a Kentucky .gov page yet. | DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance |
In Massachusetts and Minnesota, applying for winter energy help is also how you get in line for weatherization, so one form does double duty. See Massachusetts Fuel Assistance and the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program guide for those applications.
If you live in Massachusetts or Minnesota and already applied for energy assistance this season, ask your agency whether your application is also being considered for weatherization.
How is weatherization different from LIHEAP?
DOE describes LIHEAP as short term help to pay utility bills, funded by HHS. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance) Weatherization reduces energy costs by making the home more efficient. (DOE, Weatherization Assistance Program) Many households may qualify for both, and in some states the same application starts both.
For bill help in our states, see LIHEAP Income Limits: How Each State Sets Them, the Indiana Energy Assistance Program, Texas Utility Help (CEAP), and Help Paying Electric and Gas Bills.
Apply for bill help and weatherization in the same week. One helps now, the other may lower bills in future winters.
What are the weatherization numbers to know?
- 200%
- DOE income rule: at or below 200 percent of the poverty guidelines
- $372
- Estimated average yearly savings or more, per a DOE national evaluation
- $66,000
- Official 200 percent yearly figure for a household of 4 in Texas and Indiana, 2026
- 7.2 million
- Families served since 1976, per DOE
See which other programs your household may qualify for this winter, with estimated values and official links.
Sources: (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance) (DOE, Weatherization Assistance Program) (TDHCA, Community Affairs Income Guidelines) (IHCDA, Weatherization)
What this adds up to
Weatherization is a DOE program that makes low income homes more energy efficient, for households at or below 200 percent of the poverty guidelines or getting SSI, or under a state's LIHEAP limit. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance) The audit decides the work, renters need landlord permission, and most eligible households wait their turn. (DOE, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance) DOE estimates households save $372 or more a year on average. (DOE, Weatherization Assistance Program) Find your local provider, apply before the cold sets in, and pair it with bill help. For more ways to cut costs, see 7 Ways to Lower Your Utility Bills. You apply yourself; Benefit Bull walks you through it and never files for you.
Sources
Every claim above links to the source it came from. Figures checked October 2026. Last updated October 23, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Energy, Weatherization Assistance Program (accessed October 22, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Energy, How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance (accessed October 22, 2026)
- Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), Weatherization (WAP) (accessed October 22, 2026)
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Weatherization Assistance Program (accessed October 22, 2026)
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Community Affairs Income Guidelines, Program Year 2026 (accessed October 22, 2026)
- Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Help for Texans (accessed October 22, 2026)
- Mass.gov, Home Energy Assistance Programs (accessed October 17, 2026, via Benefit Bull research packet research/ma-fuel-assistance.md, S2)
- Mass.gov, Learn about Home Energy Assistance (HEAP) (accessed October 17, 2026, via research/ma-fuel-assistance.md, S1)
- Mass.gov, Governor Healey Announces New Winter Energy Bill Relief for Massachusetts Families (October 5, 2026) (accessed October 17, 2026, via research/ma-fuel-assistance.md, S3)
- Minnesota Department of Commerce, 2026 to 2027 Minnesota Energy Programs Application (accessed October 17, 2026, via research/mn-energy-assistance.md, S3)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) (accessed October 22, 2026)
