What pays for insulation and air sealing in Burlington
We re-read Vermont Gas's rebate page, Burlington Electric's weatherization page and Efficiency Vermont's list on October 5, 2026. Burlington Electric (BED) does not publish a rebate table on its weatherization page, so its amounts are not listed here. Call BED Energy Services to get them.
Vermont Gas weatherization rebate
For gas-heated single-family homes: 50% of the project up to $4,000 at market-rate income, 75% up to $7,000 at moderate income, 90% up to $9,500 at low income. Needs a BPI-certified contractor and a 10% air-leakage cut, finished by December 31, 2026.
Vermont Gas condo, townhouse and multi-family
Townhouses and condos get 75% up to $1,000 per unit. Multi-family properties get 50% up to $10,000, or 75% when tenants pay the gas bill (the rebate goes to the landlord).
Weatherization financing
Through Vermont Gas, Green Mountain Credit Union lends up to $20,000 over five years at 0% for weatherization. The Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP) puts repayment on the utility bill instead.
Do-it-yourself weatherization
Efficiency Vermont lists $100 for DIY weatherization. Burlington Electric describes it as completing at least three do-it-yourself projects. Good for weatherstripping, door sweeps and attic hatches.
Burlington Electric weatherization
BED tells electric, propane and oil customers who are not Vermont Gas customers to contact it about weatherization incentives. Efficiency Vermont's page says BED customers are paid by BED, but neither page states an amount.
Some arithmetic helps. At 50% up to $4,000, a market-rate gas household hits the cap at an $8,000 project. At 90% up to $9,500, a low-income household hits the cap at about $10,500. A smaller project earns half or nine tenths of its cost back, and a bigger one earns the cap and no more.
Which utility pays you
Efficiency Vermont's weatherization page says Burlington Electric and Vermont Gas customers are paid by their own utility rather than by Efficiency Vermont. BED's weatherization page repeats the split: if you heat with natural gas, contact Vermont Gas, and if you heat with electricity, propane, oil or something else and are not a Vermont Gas customer, contact BED. A house that uses gas for heat is a Vermont Gas job, even if BED supplies the electricity.
A city of old buildings
The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey shows 6,938 of Burlington's 18,079 housing units (38%) were built in 1939 or earlier, and another 2,672 in the 1940s and 1950s. Only 12% date from 2000 or later. BED's page explains the stack effect, the way warm air escapes through the top of a building and pulls cold air in at the bottom, and recommends air sealing before insulation, because it is harder to seal after the insulation is in.
The winter side of that story is real here: Burlington's average January low is -9.2°C and the coldest day between 2015 and 2024 reached -29.8°C.
Renters and the weatherization ordinance
10,237 Burlington households rent. BED's page describes the city's Minimum Housing Code Weatherization Ordinance as designed so rental properties are weatherized to keep tenants warm in winter and cool in summer. We did not read the ordinance, so check its requirements with the city before assuming your building is exempt or covered. For landlords paying for the work, Vermont Gas's rebate is 75% rather than 50% when tenants pay the gas bill, and the rebate goes to the landlord. Tenants can still do small jobs themselves, such as weatherstripping and window shrink kits, which BED suggests.
Triple-deckers and condos
4,619 Burlington units sit in two-, three- and four-unit buildings, and 6,006 in buildings with five or more units. For a gas-heated multi-family property Vermont Gas pays 50% up to $10,000, or 75% if tenants pay the gas bill. For a condo or townhouse, the rebate is 75% up to $1,000 per unit. A condo owner usually cannot insulate the shared roof alone, so talk to the association before ordering a quote.
Do the cheap things first
Efficiency Vermont lists $100 for do-it-yourself weatherization, and BED says completing three DIY projects earns it. BED also suggests storm windows, shrink kits, cellular shades and weatherstripping before replacing windows. Those jobs cost little and make it easier to judge how much a full project will help. A free Virtual Home Energy Visit from Efficiency Vermont is available too.
Paying for it
Vermont Gas lists Green Mountain Credit Union loans up to $20,000 over five years at 0% for weatherization, and BED lists loans from EastRise, Green Mountain Credit Union, Opportunities Credit Union and Vermont Federal Credit Union. WRAP, which BED and Vermont Gas both mention, lets homeowners and renters repay certain projects through a monthly utility charge. Loans are subject to lender approval.
How to claim an insulation rebate in Burlington
- Check your heating fuel. Gas means Vermont Gas, everything else means Burlington Electric.
- Request a home energy assessment from the utility that pays your rebate.
- Pick a BPI-certified contractor (Vermont Gas) or an Efficiency Excellence Network contractor (BED and Efficiency Vermont).
- Plan air sealing before insulation, and ask for a blower-door test before and after.
- Finish before December 31, 2026 if you are using the Vermont Gas offer.
Common questions
Who pays for insulation in Burlington?
Vermont Gas pays if you heat with natural gas. Burlington Electric handles customers who heat with electricity, propane, oil or other fuels. Efficiency Vermont's own weatherization offer is for other Vermont utilities' customers.
How much does Vermont Gas pay for single-family weatherization?
50% of the project up to $4,000 at market-rate income, 75% up to $7,000 at moderate income, and 90% up to $9,500 at low income, for projects finished by December 31, 2026.
What does Burlington Electric pay?
We could not find a published amount on BED's weatherization page, so call BED Energy Services. Do not assume it matches Vermont Gas's table.
Do renters need to weatherize in Burlington?
BED describes a city weatherization ordinance for rental properties. We did not read its details, so ask the city or your landlord what applies to your building.
Can a condo owner get a weatherization rebate?
Vermont Gas lists 75% up to $1,000 per unit for townhouses and condos with gas heat.
What to do next
Insulation comes before a heat pump in an old building. Read the Burlington heat pump guide and the water heater guide, or the statewide windows and doors page.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 5, 2026: Vermont Gas: residential financing and rebates, Burlington Electric Department: weatherization, Efficiency Vermont: Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, US Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25034 (year built). All Burlington rebates → Every Efficiency Vermont rebate →