Home Weatherization Assistance Program (Illinois DCEO)
Last updated August 2026
This program (IHWAP) makes free repairs that shrink energy bills. The caps are generous: up to $20,000 in energy work per home, plus $4,000 for safety fixes. Air sealing. Insulation. Heating and cooling repair or replacement. Water heaters, lighting, fridges, and moisture control. The audit decides the mix.
The income line is about $66,000 a year for a family of four. On LIHEAP or Social Security cash assistance? You are in automatically. Living in HUD or USDA subsidized housing counts too.
Apply through the Community Action Agency for your county, online or in person. DCEO lists every agency. Questions? Call 1-833-711-0374.
Nothing is a loan. Nothing is cost-shared. Eligible households pay zero for the work, within the caps.
Pair it with LIHEAP each season. LIHEAP pays this winter's bill. IHWAP shrinks every future one.
Phone 1-833-711-0374
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Household income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level
- Households already on LIHEAP, SSI, or certain HUD or USDA housing programs may qualify automatically; homeowners and renters both apply through their local Community Action Agency
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Find the Community Action Agency for your county on DCEO's agency list, and apply online or in person.
- 2
On LIHEAP, Social Security cash assistance, or in HUD/USDA housing? Say so; that alone qualifies you.
- 3
Otherwise, bring income proof; the line is 200 percent of poverty, about $66,000 for a family of four.
- 4
Do the energy audit when your turn comes; it decides the measures, up to $20,000 energy plus $4,000 safety.
- 5
Ask the same agency about LIHEAP for this season's bills.
- 6
Questions? 1-833-711-0374 or communityassist@illinois.gov.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Is Illinois weatherization free?
Yes, completely: up to $20,000 in energy measures plus $4,000 in health and safety work per home, with no loan and no cost-share.
What income qualifies?
200 percent of poverty, about $66,000 a year for a family of four. LIHEAP receipt, Social Security cash assistance, or HUD/USDA means-tested housing qualifies you automatically.
What work gets done?
Whatever the audit justifies: air sealing, attic and wall insulation, HVAC repair or replacement, water heater work, lighting and refrigerator replacement, and ventilation and moisture control.
How do I apply?
Through the Community Action Agency covering your county, online or in person; DCEO publishes the full agency list.
Does it work with LIHEAP?
Yes: getting LIHEAP automatically qualifies you for weatherization. LIHEAP handles this season's bill; weatherization shrinks all the future ones.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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