Can weatherization assistance fix my hot water system?

What it covers

The programs pay for hot water system improvements as part of a wider package. That package also takes in insulation, air sealing, furnace cleaning and safety repairs, plus the health and safety items the energy audit turns up. The program lists the cost to you as free.

Who qualifies

It is for income qualified households. In Maryland, the utility program (LIEEP) takes households at or below the higher of 250 percent of the federal poverty level or 80 percent of area median income. WAP takes households at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

How to apply

In Maryland, apply through the Office of Home Energy Programs. If you have already applied for energy assistance, the program says you can be referred automatically. You can also call 1-855-583-8976.

In DC, the Department of Energy and Environment runs weatherization, so start with them.

Our part

We aren't part of WAP or LIEEP. We don't do the audits, and we don't do the work the program pays for. If you qualify, let the program run its course. It costs you nothing.

Where we come in is when you don't qualify, when the audit leaves the water heater off the list, or when you need hot water back before the program can get to you. We find out whether it's a part or the tank, and you get the price in writing first. No hot water counts as urgent for us and is scheduled within 48 hours.

Before you apply

These details were current as of October 2026. The program decides eligibility and what work it will do.

Where this comes from

We built this page from our October 2026 research on the Weatherization Assistance Program and Maryland LIEEP, run by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and the DC Department of Energy and Environment, with federal funding.