Real, Citable Money
Every contractor site says "ask about rebates." Here's the actual, sourced version — including the parts that expired. We'd rather tell you a program is gone than let you assume it's still there.
Federal Tax Credit
For 2023–2025, IRS Section 25C let homeowners claim a federal income tax credit equal to 30% of the cost of qualifying ENERGY STAR windows, skylights and exterior doors, up to annual caps:
| Improvement | Credit | Annual cap |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior windows & skylights | 30% of cost | $600/year |
| Exterior doors | 30% of cost | $250/door, $500/year total |
| Combined home-improvement cap | — | $1,200/year (all 25C items combined) |
The honest update: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 4, 2025) repealed Section 25C early. Per the IRS's own program page, the credit applies only to qualifying property placed in service before December 31, 2025 — there is no equivalent federal credit for windows or doors installed in 2026. If your project closed out in 2025, you may still be able to claim it on that year's return (Form 5695); talk to your CPA. If it's a 2026 project, this specific credit does not apply, and we won't pretend otherwise.
Tax law changes. This is not tax advice — confirm your specific situation with a qualified tax professional before counting on any credit.
Local Utility Rebates
Unlike the federal credit, these are live utility programs as of this writing — run through Austin Energy, not us. Availability, dollar amounts and eligibility can change; always confirm on their site before you count on a number.
Austin Energy's whole-home upgrade pathways report rebates averaging about $3,000 (Home Energy Savings) or about $1,500 (Home Energy Savings Essential), plus access to 0% financing on qualifying whole-home energy improvements. These are broader home-performance programs (insulation, HVAC, air sealing and more) that a window/door/siding project can factor into.
Austin Energy pays $1.00 per square foot for eligible solar screen fabric (heat-gain coefficient of 0.40 or lower) on single-family homes, condos, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes with residential-rate electric service. A participating contractor submits the rebate application within 90 days of installation.
Free home energy improvements for income-qualifying Austin Energy customers (Customer Assistance Program enrollment, or Medically Vulnerable Registry enrollment plus an 80% Median Family Income requirement). Participants may also unlock a rebate and 0% financing for up to 10 years on a new AC system.
Live outside Austin Energy's service area? Round Rock, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Kyle, Buda and San Marcos are served by other utilities (Oncor/various municipal providers) with their own, separate rebate programs — ask us at your estimate and we'll point you to what we know, honestly labeled as "ask your utility" where we're not sure.
Read the full step-by-step Austin Energy rebate walkthrough →
Quick Answers
For manufacturer/utility programs that route through the contractor, we'll tell you honestly at your estimate whether that applies to your job. Tax credits are filed by you (or your CPA) on your own return — we're not tax preparers and won't pretend to be.
No. Both the (now-expired) federal credit and utility programs had specific ENERGY STAR / efficiency requirements. We'll tell you plainly whether a specific product line you're considering would have qualified, and point you to the current utility program's own eligibility page.
Because a lot of sites still advertise it as live, and we'd rather you hear the accurate, current status from us than find out later it doesn't apply. If it comes back, this page gets updated — not the other way around.
The 90-Second, No-Pressure Estimate
No bait-and-switch. No pushy rep at your kitchen table. Answer a few quick questions and see a real, honest range — before anyone knocks on your door.
Ranges are honest published bands for Central Texas, not a quote. Final price comes only from your free written estimate.
No Pressure, Ever
The real number, in writing — before anyone knocks on your door. Our local team follows up within one business day.