Yes, Oncor offers cash incentives for attic insulation and air sealing through its Take a Load Off Texas program. The incentives are paid per square foot for insulation upgrades that bring your attic from R-22 or below up to R-38 or better. Oncor also incentivizes duct sealing, caulking, and weatherstripping through the same program.
With the federal Section 25C energy efficiency tax credit expired as of December 31, 2025, Oncor’s utility rebate is now the most significant financial incentive available to DFW homeowners upgrading their insulation. Here is how the program works, who qualifies, and how to claim it.
How the Oncor Insulation Incentive Program Works
Oncor Electric Delivery is the transmission and distribution utility (TDU) serving most of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro. Oncor does not sell electricity. It delivers it. But Texas law (Senate Bill 7) requires publicly owned electric utilities to fund energy efficiency programs. Oncor fulfills this through its Take a Load Off Texas initiative, which allocates over $21 million annually to residential and commercial energy efficiency incentives, approved each year by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Two residential programs cover insulation:
1. Home Energy Efficiency Program (HEE) Open to all Oncor residential customers regardless of income. Covers insulation upgrades, air sealing, duct sealing, HVAC replacements, and smart thermostats. Incentives are paid to approved participating service providers, who pass the savings through to the homeowner as a reduced project cost.
2. Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIW) Available to Oncor residential customers whose household income falls at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. Qualifying homes can receive insulation, air sealing, heating and cooling upgrades, and related measures at low or no cost.
Both programs run annually from approximately February through November. Funding is capped for the year and distributed first-come, first-served. When the budget runs out, the program closes early.
Who Qualifies for Oncor Insulation Incentives
The eligibility requirements differ slightly between HEE and LIW, but the core criteria are the same.
For the Home Energy Efficiency (HEE) Program:
- Your home must be in Oncor’s electric delivery service territory. This covers most of DFW, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Arlington, Irving, Garland, Richardson, Carrollton, and surrounding areas.
- Your current attic insulation must be at R-22 or less.
- The upgrade must bring insulation to R-38 or better.
- Work must be performed by an Oncor-approved participating service provider.
- A blower door test is required to validate air leakage reductions.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) safety testing must be performed.
- Insulation materials must be ASTM compliant with a minimum 10-year service life.
- Approved materials include mineral fiber (blanket or loose fill), cellulose, vermiculite, and perlite. Spray foam may qualify depending on the program year and specific measure category.
For the Low-Income Weatherization (LIW) Program:
All of the above, plus:
- Annual household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines
- For 2026, income ceilings are approximately: 1-person household ~$30,120, 2-person ~$40,880, 3-person ~$51,640, 4-person ~$62,400 (verify current figures at oncor.com or dial 2-1-1)
- Qualifying homeowners may receive upgrades at low or no cost
Who does NOT qualify:
- Homes outside Oncor territory (served by CenterPoint, AEP Texas, or municipal utilities like Garland Power & Light or Plano)
- Homes with existing insulation above R-22
- Projects completed by contractors who are not Oncor-approved service providers
- Projects completed outside the active program period
Not sure if you are in Oncor territory? Check your electric bill. If it shows Oncor as the TDU or delivery utility, you are eligible. Your retail electric provider (the company you pay for electricity) does not affect eligibility.
How Much Oncor Pays Toward Insulation
Oncor calculates insulation incentives per square foot of attic area. The exact rate varies by year, measure type, and the heating system in your home (electric heat vs gas heat). Rates for 2026 are estimated based on program filings and are subject to final PUC approval.
Here is how the incentive typically reduces a real project cost.
Example: 1,500 sq ft attic, blown-in insulation upgrade from R-13 to R-38
| Line Item | Without Oncor | With Oncor HEE Incentive |
| Insulation materials + labor | $1,800 – $3,300 | $1,800 – $3,300 |
| Air sealing (caulk, foam, weatherstripping) | $300 – $600 | $300 – $600 |
| Oncor insulation incentive | $0 | Applied as project cost reduction |
| Oncor air sealing incentive | $0 | Applied as project cost reduction |
| Estimated out-of-pocket | $2,100 – $3,900 | Reduced, amount varies by project |
The exact incentive dollar amounts change by program year and depend on final PUC approval. Your approved contractor will know the current rates and can tell you the exact incentive applied to your project before work begins. The key point: the incentive reduces your cost at the point of service. You do not file paperwork or wait for a rebate check.
For the LIW program, qualifying homeowners may receive the full project at no cost, including insulation, air sealing, and related measures.
How the Incentive Gets Applied (It Goes to the Contractor, Not You)
This is the most misunderstood part of the Oncor program. Oncor does not send a check to the homeowner. Oncor pays the incentive directly to the approved participating service provider. The service provider passes this savings through to you as a reduced project price.
This means:
- You must use an Oncor-approved contractor. If you hire a contractor who is not enrolled in the program, you get no incentive, period.
- The contractor handles the application, documentation, and submission to Oncor’s Energy Efficiency Program Management (EEPM) portal.
- You see the incentive as a lower price on your quote, not as a separate payment after the fact.
- You should ask your contractor to show you the project cost with and without the Oncor incentive so you understand exactly what is being applied.
Green Attics is an Oncor-approved participating service provider for insulation and HVAC upgrades. We handle the full Oncor application process as part of every qualifying project.
Step-by-Step: How to Claim Oncor Insulation Incentives
Step 1: Confirm your home is in Oncor territory. Check your electricity bill for “Oncor” as the delivery utility. If you are unsure, enter your ZIP code at oncor.com.
Step 2: Get an energy audit to document current insulation levels. Your attic insulation must be at R-22 or below to qualify. An energy audit measures your existing insulation depth and R-value, along with air leakage and duct performance. This documentation supports the incentive application.
Step 3: Choose an Oncor-approved participating service provider. Oncor maintains a list of approved contractors at takealoadofftexas.com. You can also use the Find a Provider tool by entering your ZIP code and selecting “insulation” as the project type. Green Attics is listed as an approved provider for the DFW metro.
Step 4: Get a quote that shows the Oncor incentive applied. Your approved contractor quotes the full project cost and shows the incentive as a line-item reduction. Review the quote to confirm the insulation target (R-38 or above), approved materials, and included air sealing scope.
Step 5: Schedule the work during the active program period. Programs typically run February through November. The HEE weatherization closing date for 2026 is December 1, 2026, or sooner if funding is depleted. Do not wait until fall. Budget depletion risks increase as the year progresses.
Step 6: Work is completed, tested, and submitted. The contractor installs insulation, performs air sealing, runs a blower door test, and completes CO safety testing. Results are entered into Oncor’s EEPM portal. Oncor reviews and approves the submission. The incentive is paid to the contractor, and your project cost reflects the reduced price.
What Else Oncor Incentivizes Beyond Insulation
The Take a Load Off Texas program covers several measures that pair naturally with insulation upgrades.
Duct sealing. Leaky ductwork in a hot attic wastes 20% to 30% of your conditioned air (per DOE estimates). Oncor incentivizes duct sealing as part of the HEE and LIW programs. A blower door test and duct leakage test validate the improvements.
HVAC replacement. High-efficiency AC units and heat pumps with 14.3 SEER2 ratings or higher qualify for Oncor incentives ranging from $300 to $3,500 depending on system type and efficiency tier. A smart thermostat is mandatory for all HVAC incentives. If you are upgrading insulation and your HVAC system is 15+ years old, combining both projects under one Oncor application maximizes your total incentive.
Smart thermostats. Oncor offers point-of-sale discounts on qualifying smart thermostats (Nest, ecobee) at participating retailers. This is a separate program from the HEE, with instant savings at the register.
Residential Load Management. Oncor also incentivizes demand response enrollment, where you allow temporary load cycling during peak grid demand in exchange for bill credits.
The most effective approach for DFW homeowners: combine insulation, air sealing, and duct sealing under a single HEE project, and add an HVAC upgrade if the system is aging. One contractor visit, one Oncor submission, maximum incentive.
Why This Matters More in 2026
The federal Section 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit expired December 31, 2025. That credit previously covered 30% of insulation and air sealing costs (capped at $1,200/year). It is gone.
Oncor’s Take a Load Off Texas is now the primary financial incentive for DFW homeowners upgrading attic insulation. It is funded by utility ratepayer charges, not by federal tax policy, which means it operates independently of Congress. As long as the PUC of Texas continues to mandate energy efficiency programs (which it has every year since Senate Bill 7), Oncor will continue funding these incentives.
But the annual budget is finite. Oncor allocates roughly $12.8 million to residential programs each year. Once that money is committed to approved projects, the program closes for the year. Early applicants get funded. Late applicants wait until the next cycle.
Texas residential electricity rates averaged 15 to 16 cents per kWh in 2026, up 5% to 6% from the year before. Every month you run an under-insulated home with leaky ducts in a 140°F attic is a month of avoidable energy waste. The Oncor incentive reduces the cost of fixing it. The energy savings reduce your bills going forward. Both work in the same direction.
Common Mistakes That Disqualify Oncor Rebates
Avoid these pitfalls.
- Hiring a contractor who is not Oncor-approved. This is the most common mistake. The contractor must be enrolled as a participating service provider before work begins. No retroactive applications.
- Starting work before the program opens. HEE programs typically open in February. Projects completed before the official start date do not qualify.
- Having existing insulation above R-22. The program targets under-insulated homes. If your attic already meets or exceeds R-22, the insulation incentive does not apply (though you may still qualify for HVAC or air sealing incentives).
- Not completing required testing. A post-installation blower door test and CO safety check are mandatory. If your contractor skips them, the incentive submission will be rejected.
- Waiting until late in the year. Funds deplete. The program closes when the budget is spent. Apply in Q1 or Q2 for the best chance of approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oncor offer rebates for insulation?
Yes. Through the Home Energy Efficiency (HEE) program and the Low-Income Weatherization (LIW) program, Oncor provides per-square-foot incentives for attic, wall, and floor insulation upgrades. Your existing insulation must be R-22 or below, and the upgrade must reach R-38 or higher. Work must be done by an Oncor-approved service provider.
How much does Oncor pay for attic insulation?
Oncor calculates insulation incentives per square foot based on your heating system type (gas or electric). Exact rates are set annually and subject to PUC approval. The incentive is applied as a project cost reduction through your approved contractor. For the LIW program, qualifying low-income homeowners may receive insulation at no cost.
Do I need an approved contractor for Oncor rebates?
Yes. Oncor only processes incentive applications submitted by enrolled participating service providers. If you hire a contractor who is not Oncor-approved, you receive no incentive. Check the provider directory at takealoadofftexas.com or ask your contractor directly to confirm their status.
Is the Oncor weatherization program free?
The Low-Income Weatherization (LIW) program offers insulation and air sealing at low or no cost to households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. The Home Energy Efficiency (HEE) program, open to all income levels, provides partial incentives that reduce project cost but do not cover 100%.
What is the difference between Oncor HEE and LIW programs?
HEE (Home Energy Efficiency) is open to all Oncor residential customers. It provides partial incentives per square foot that reduce your project cost. LIW (Low-Income Weatherization) is restricted to households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. LIW can cover the full project cost for qualifying homeowners.
Can I combine Oncor insulation rebates with other incentives?
The federal 25C tax credit expired December 31, 2025, so it is no longer available for 2026 projects. However, you can combine Oncor insulation incentives with Oncor HVAC incentives on the same project. Some municipal utilities (Garland Power & Light, Plano) offer their own programs that may apply if your home is in their service area rather than Oncor’s. Check with your contractor to confirm all available incentives.
Get Started: Free Energy Audit + Oncor Incentive Application
Green Attics is an Oncor-approved participating service provider for insulation, air sealing, and HVAC upgrades in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro. We handle every step of the Oncor incentive process, from the initial energy audit that documents your current insulation levels, to the final blower door test that validates the upgrade.
Here is what happens when you call:
- We schedule a free energy audit at your home.
- We measure existing insulation depth, air leakage, and duct performance.
- We provide a project quote showing the full cost and the Oncor incentive applied.
- You decide what to do. No pressure, no obligation.
- If you move forward, we complete the work, run the required tests, and submit the Oncor application.
- You pay the reduced project price. Oncor pays us the incentive. Done.
We serve homeowners across the Oncor service territory, including Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Prosper, Celina, Arlington, Fort Worth, Garland, Richardson, Irving, and surrounding areas.
