The government is providing up to $8,000 in home improvement grants to American households this summer — here’s an easy way to access it

You could say the federal government wants to give your home more star power.

Significant tax incentives are available—or expected soon—through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for a range of efficiency improvements. There’s also plenty of money to upgrade your appliances to the latest, desirable Energy Star technology.

Energy Star, with its familiar blue square symbol, is a government-backed energy-efficiency certification program that was launched in 1992. Now, the government wants to help you upgrade your home with better appliances that will help you save energy and money.

“For many homes, key elements of an Energy Star home upgrade are expected to result in qualifying savings,” Energy Star’s Ann Bailey wrote on the program’s website.

Some examples include a maximum rebate of $8,000 for a program-certified heat pump (depending on income level) and up to $840 for an induction cooktop. The rebates are available in New York and Wisconsin, with more states coming soon. Health experts are still studying the possible negative health effects of breathing in fumes from gas stoves, so upgrading can provide a healthier environment in your living space, too.

Households of almost any size and income can enjoy this unprecedented time of government incentives. Part of the goal is to make better technology available to more people. One example scenario presented by the White House involves a fictional couple, Mark and Lisa.

A construction worker and a bank teller earn a combined $60,000 a year and just bought their first home. They couldn’t afford to upgrade their new home with efficient appliances—until they learned about available incentives.

“Because their income is less than 80% of the median income in their region, they qualify for relief covering up to 100% of the project costs,” he says, based on an example based on real-world circumstances.

Another scenario involves a dentist and an engineer who have a combined annual income of $250,000. They are eligible for a 30% tax credit for the cost of installing solar panels.

Navigating federal and state incentives can be complicated. Rewiring America is a free online tool that can easily help you cut through the weeds and get new appliances and energy improvements while maximizing government incentives. You can even find qualified contractors for solar installations and waterproofing projects.

Switching to electric appliances and electric vehicles is also an effective way to reduce heat-trapping air pollutants that NASA has linked to an increased risk of destructive weather events.

But the cash value may be the most immediate payoff. If you go all-in on solar panels, a heat pump and an electric vehicle, you could land about $20,000 in government tax breaks through an IRA.

“President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act addresses the climate challenge and accelerates the deployment of clean, affordable technologies,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a press release.

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