top of page
NYGC_logo_edited.png

NYSERDA

NYSERDA Programs & 2025 Federal Tax Credits: The Easy Guide for Upstate NY Homeowners 

EmPower+ (IncomeEligible) — FREE Assessment + Big Upgrades 

What it is: 
EmPower+ helps low and moderate-income New Yorkers in 1–4 family homes with a no cost energy assessment, direct install measures, and funding toward upgrades like air sealing and insulation. During the online application, you can select your contractor — choose AB Insulation so we can move your project forward quickly.  

 

Typical benefits (single family): 

  • No cost assessment + direct install fixes during the visit (as applicable).  

  • Project funding caps for core efficiency (insulation & air sealing, health & safety): 

  • Low income: up to $10,000 per project 

  • Moderate income: up to $5,000 per project  

  • IRA HEAR add-on funds may stack on top (if included in scope): 

  • Air sealing/insulation/ventilation: $1,600 • Panel: $4,000 • Wiring: $2,500 • HPWH: $1,750 • Heat pumps: $8,000  

 

 

Who qualifies (summary): 

  • Owners or renters in 1–4 family homes with low/moderate income (income documentation, categorical eligibility like HEAP/SNAP/SSI, or geo eligibility).  

 

​

Typical benefits (single family): 

  • No cost assessment + direct install fixes during the visit (as applicable).  

  • Project funding caps for core efficiency (insulation & air sealing, health & safety): 

  • Low income: up to $10,000 per project 

  • Moderate income: up to $5,000 per project  

  • IRA HEAR add-on funds may stack on top (if included in scope): 

  • Air sealing/insulation/ventilation: $1,600 • Panel: $4,000 • Wiring: $2,500 • HPWH: $1,750 • Heat pumps: $8,000  

EmPower+ Eligibility Guidelines

Household

EmPower+ Low Income Incentive

EmPower+ Moderate Income Incentive

1

Household income is $39,864.00 or less.

Household Income is greater than $39,864.00, but less than $58,200.00

2

Household income is $52,140.00 or less.

Household Income is greater than $52,140.00, but less than $69,520.00

3

Household income is $64,404.00 or less.

Household Income is greater than $64,404.00, but less than $85,872.00

4

Household income is $76,680.00 or less.

Household Income is greater than $76,680.00, but less than $102,240.00

5

Household income is $88,944.00 or less.

Household Income is greater than $88,944.00, but less than $118,592.00

6

Household income is $101,208.00 or less.

Household Income is greater than $101,208.00, but less than $134,944.00

7

Household income is $103,512.00 or less.

8

Household income is $105,816.00 or less.

9

Household income is $108,120.00 or less.

10

Household income is $110,412.00 or less.

Household Income is greater than $103,512.00, but less than $138,016.00

Household Income is greater than $105,816.00, but less than $141,088.00

Household Income is greater than $108,120.00, but less than $144,160.00

Household Income is greater than $110,412.00, but less than $147,216.00

How to apply — and choose AB Insulation: 

  1. Go to EmPower+ Online Application (MyEnergy). âžœ EmPower+ Application

  2. Create your MyEnergy profile and start the EmPower+ application. 

  3. When you reach “Select a Program Contractor,” choose AB Insulation so we can manage your assessment, paperwork, and scheduling. (The application explicitly lets you pick your contractor or have one assigned if you don’t choose.) 

  4. Upload eligibility docs and submit. Track status in MyEnergy.  

Comfort Home (MarketRate) — Rebates for Seal & Insulate Packages 

No income limits • Up to $3,000 in incentives • Big comfort improvements 

What it is: 
Comfort Home is NYSERDA’s market rate program for homeowners who don’t qualify for EmPower+. It offers rebates for professionally installed “seal & insulate” packages delivered by trained Comfort Home contractors (like AB Insulation). The goal is to fix the root causes of drafts, cold rooms, and uneven temperatures and lower bills—without income restrictions.

​

Why homeowners choose Comfort Home: 

  • No income limits — any NY homeowner with a 1–4 family home can qualify. 

  • Predefined packages keep the process fast and predictable.

  • Rebates up to $3,000 (plus a $2,000 Windows Add-on after weatherization). 

  • Typical savings of ~14% (“Good”) to ~20%+ (“Better”) on heating/cooling bills; Windows Add-on can add ~8% more when done after sealing/insulating.  

  • Prepares the home for future clean heat options (NYSERDA recommends weatherization first). 

​

Comfort Home Packages (Expanded) 

1) GOOD — $2,500 rebate 
Includes air sealing, attic insulation, and rim joist insulation. Great for homes with poor attic coverage or noticeable stack effect drafts. (Avg. savings ~14%) 

2) BETTER — $3,000 rebate (Most popular) 
Everything in GOOD, plus wall insulation and floor insulation for a fuller thermal boundary. (Avg. savings ~20%+) 

3) WINDOWS ADD-ON — $2,000 rebate 
Available only after weatherization (air sealing + insulation) is completed; upgrades to ENERGY STAR® windows. (Avg. additional savings ~8%)

Multiple projects over time: 
If you complete another package later, NYSERDA allows extra rebates: 

  • Within 1 year of a prior package → $1,000 total toward the next package 

  • More than 1 year after a prior package → $2,000 total toward the next package 

 

Comfort Home Eligibility (Simple & Broad) 

You must: 

  • Own a 1–4 family home in New York State (no income test).

  • Complete a no fee consultation with a Comfort Home contractor to select a package. 

  • Finish the entire package scope to qualify for the rebate. 

 

Comfort Home — How to Apply (Step-by-step) 

  1. Talk with AB Insulation (no fee consult) 
    We evaluate your comfort issues, insulation levels, and draft sources, then recommend GOOD or BETTER, with Windows as a potential addon

  2. Start in MyEnergy (NYSERDA) Go to the Comfort Home program page and follow the “How to Apply” / “Get Started” prompts, which route you into the MyEnergy site to begin. (NYSERDA uses MyEnergy as the application hub.) 

  3. Select AB Insulation in the contractor step 
    Comfort Home projects are delivered by approved contractors; choose AB Insulation so we can design your scope to maximize your rebate, handle documentation, and keep your file moving.

  4. Complete the chosen package 
    We install to NYSERDA standards (air sealing targets, R-values, assembly details).
    Rebate processing 

  5. After verification, your $2,500–$3,000 (plus possible $2,000 Windows Add-on) rebate is issued per program rules. If you plan additional work later, we’ll time it to capture the $1,000 / $2,000 sequential project allowance. 

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

Why homeowners choose Comfort Home: 

  • No income limits — any NY homeowner with a 1–4 family home can qualify. 

  • Predefined packages keep the process fast and predictable.

  • Rebates up to $3,000 (plus a $2,000 Windows Add-on after weatherization). 

  • Typical savings of ~14% (“Good”) to ~20%+ (“Better”) on heating/cooling bills; Windows Add-on can add ~8% more when done after sealing/insulating.  

  • Prepares the home for future clean heat options (NYSERDA recommends weatherization first). 

Select an Insulation Package

Good

Better

Add-ons

Windows add-ons

Value

The average home saves 20% on their heating and cooling bills after installing this package.

Upgrades

NYSERDA Incentive

Seal and insulate attic and rim joists

The average home saves 14% on their heating and cooling bills after installing this package.

$2500.00

After air-sealing and insulating, upgrade windows to ENERGY STAR

For homes with upgraded air-sealing and insulation, upgrading the windows saves an average of an additional 8% on heating and cooling bills

$2000.00

Good Package Plus insulate walls and floors

$3000.00

Comfort Home Eligibility (Simple & Broad) 

You must: 

  • Own a 1–4 family home in New York State (no income test).

  • Complete a no fee consultation with a Comfort Home contractor to select a package. 

  • Finish the entire package scope to qualify for the rebate. 

Where to start: 

TAX-REBATES_business-man-hands-holding-money-SBI-300855967_1200.jpg

No-Cost Home Energy Assessments (General Path) 

If you’re unsure which program fits, NYSERDA’s assessment page helps 1–4 family homeowners get a no-cost assessment and routes you to EmPower+ or Comfort Home based on your county and household size

Note: The legacy “Residential Energy Assessment Program” shows a Dec 18, 2025 closure notice and redirects to MyEnergy for the current intake/virtual 

NYS Clean Heat (Utility Rebates for Heat Pumps) — Pair With Weatherization 

If you plan to electrify heating, NYS Clean Heat (state + utilities) provides rebates for heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, typically applied by participating contractors and stackable with federal tax credits when applicable. Amounts and rules vary by utility and are updated periodically—check the state hub and your utility page. 

Pro tip: New program guidance emphasizes integrating weatherization (air sealing & insulation) with electrification—another reason to do Comfort Home first, then size the heat pump correctly.

Quick Eligibility Snapshot 

  • Low to moderate income (owner/renter, 1–4 family): 
    → EmPower+ for free assessment + funded insulation/air sealing choose AB Insulation as your contractor in the application. âžœ EmPower+ Application  

  • Above income limits but want rebates for insulation/air sealing: 
    → Comfort Home packages (no income limits). Start via MyEnergy and select AB Insulation. âžœ Comfort Home Program 

  • Just need an assessment to see what’s wrong: 
    → NYSERDA Assessment page (routes you to the right option). âžœ Assessment Intake 

  • Considering a heat pump after weatherization: 
    → NYS Clean Heat (utility rebates). âžœ Program Hub

map-of-new-york-with-shadow-vector-14611929.webp

2025 Federal Tax Credits (IRA) — What Homeowners Can Claim This Year 

The IRS issued updated FAQs in January 2025 explaining Energy Efficient Home Improvement and Residential Clean Energy for tax year 2025. Always confirm with a tax professional. 

Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (annual limits) 

  • 30% of qualified costs with annual caps; claim on Form 5695. 

  • Insulation & air sealing materials/systems are eligible (subject to the $1,200 annual envelope cap). Windows/doors have separate sub caps. IRS guidance also references standards such as 2021 IECC for insulation. 

  • Documentation (2025): Certain products require manufacturer PIN/QM codes; save those certificates for your records. 

Residential Clean Energy Credit 

  • 30% credit for qualifying clean energy systems like solar PV, battery storage, and geothermal (see IRS for the full list and filing rules).  

Stacking tip: Many rebates reduce the project cost basis for credit computation (generally not taxable income), per IRS/tax guidance—confirm specifics with your preparer. 

IRA Home Energy Rebates (HOMES & HEAR) in NY 

New York is deploying IRA rebates via NYSERDA, starting with HEAR type support inside EmPower+ and the Appliance Upgrade Program for income eligible customers. Market rate offerings will expand as federal approvals finalize; NYSERDA maintains a live homeowner hub with the latest status. [nyserda.ny.gov] 

Choose AB Insulation on Your Application — Here’s Why 

  • Program navigation: We manage the MyEnergy process and paperwork so you don’t have to. (NYSERDA confirms you can select your contractor inside the EmPower+ application; Comfort Home is delivered via approved contractors.) 

  • Max value weatherization: We prioritize air sealing + insulation to deliver maximum comfort and savings under either program. [nyserda.ny.gov] 

  • Local pros: Serving Rochester, Syracuse & the Finger Lakes with proven, building science-based results. 

📞 Call AB Insulation at 3155977000 
or start now with NYSERDA’s portal and select AB Insulation when prompted. 

Connect with Us!

Contact Form

Call Now!

bottom of page