Up to $8,000 for eligible heat pumps.
Wisconsin HEAR lists an $8,000 space-heating and cooling heat-pump cap. The $14,000 household ceiling covers multiple eligible measures; it is not a larger heat-pump allowance.
Focus on Energy: HEAR amounts · Source checked 2026-09-06
Start with income qualification.
Focus on Energy publishes an application pathway for households below 150% of area median income. HVAC work requires an IRA Registered Contractor participating as a HEAR installer. Funding and project approval must be confirmed before relying on a discount.
Focus on Energy: HEAR participation · Source checked 2026-09-06
Income changes the cost share.
Below 80% AMI, HEAR can cover eligible costs up to program caps. In the 80%–150% tier, coverage is limited to 50% of eligible costs, also subject to caps. Have the program verify the applicable income tier and the final covered amount.
Focus on Energy: income and cost-share table · Source checked 2026-09-06
Confirm the existing-system rules.
DOE’s 2026 guidance shifts this federal equipment pathway to efficient electric-to-electric upgrades and eligible new construction. Insulation and air sealing may come first. Previously approved reservations have transition provisions. Ask the administrator which rules apply to your project.
DOE: HEEHR Program Notice 26-2 · Source checked 2026-09-06
When a whole-home project makes more sense.
HOMES is a separate pathway based on modeled energy savings. An assessment must happen before work, and the proposed project must reduce energy use by at least 20%. The published single-family schedule includes options above 150% AMI.
Bring nine months of utility usage information to the assessment process. Discuss both a heat-pump-only proposal and a broader efficiency plan, then ask the assessor to explain which eligible improvements produce the modeled savings. Assessment fees may apply.
Focus on Energy: HOMES assessment and eligibility · Source checked 2026-09-06
Give each incentive its own line.
Wisconsin does not allow HOMES and HEAR to pay for the same upgrade type at one address. Some projects may also qualify for ordinary Focus on Energy rebates; confirm the combination instead of adding advertised maximums.
Focus on Energy: combining rebates · Source checked 2026-09-06
Questions to take to your contractor.
Ask for a written proposal showing the equipment model, total installed price, each proposed incentive, and the amount you would owe. Ask who submits the paperwork and what happens if funding is unavailable. Keep the approval and final invoice together so you can check that the promised discount was actually applied.
Common question
Apply through the official program.
Temperaly is an independent HVAC inquiry service. A request here does not apply for a rebate, reserve funding, establish eligibility, or book a program-approved installer. Use the official program link below for an application or program questions. Share income documents only through the administrator’s requested process.
Official Wisconsin HEAR application and guidance · Source checked 2026-09-06
Editorial review: 2026-09-06