Ultimate Guide to Mass Save® Rebates 2023

How to maximize your Mass Save® rebates:

If you live in Massachusetts, Mass Save® heat pump rebates are available to help you heat and cool your home more efficiently with air-source heat pumps. The Mass Save program provides Massachusetts residents with rebates to reduce or in some cases eliminate the cost of installing heat pumps. If your rebate doesn’t fully cover the cost of your efficiency upgrade see our guide on Mass Save HEAT loans. That guide will walk you through getting 0% loans of up to $50,000 for home efficiency upgrades.

The following guide will prepare you for maximizing your rebate. The key takeaways are:

• Get a no-cost Mass Save Home Energy Assessment from Colt Home Services
• Massachusetts homeowners can get a $10,000 rebate to install air source heat pumps in their homes through Mass Save (or $16,000 if they meet certain income eligibility requirements).
• Make sure you install a qualifying heat pump – low-efficiency heat pumps don’t qualify for rebates.
• Make sure you choose a participating contractor.
• Make sure the heat pump is new and installed to replace an oil, propane, natural gas, or electric baseboard heating system.

The Mass Save organizers have shown a willingness to reduce rebates, so it is a good idea to take advantage of them as soon as possible. You can’t count on rebates forever, so make sure to take advantage of them before the end of 2024.

• $16,000 heat pump rebates – for those with incomes below 80% of the state median income
• $10,000 in rebates for using heat pumps for heating the whole home
• $1,250 per ton of heat pump capacity, up to $10,000 if heating partial-home

How much does a heat pump cost? 

Heat pumps will vary depending on the size, efficiency, and heating capacity, but most Mass Save qualifying heat pumps will cost between $4,000 and $6,000 per ton. Rebates can reduce the cost of installing heat pumps and furnaces by 20% to 100%. Let us help you through the process. See our article on how much electricity a heat pump uses for more information.

More information about rebate options

Enhanced Rebates based on income eligibility 

In August 2022, the Sponsors of Mass Save launched Enhanced Heating & Cooling Equipment Rebates, increasing the rebate available to $16,000 if you live in a one to four unit home, your household income meets certain eligibility requirements, and you’re replacing an existing oil, propane, or electric resistance system with heat pumps. See detailed eligibility criteria.

Whole-Home Rebate

The Mass Save whole-home rebate of $10,000 is available if you make weatherization updates and install air source heat pumps to heat and cool your entire home. To verify this the pre-existing heating system must be disconnected and you must complete the Mass Save verification form.

Partial-Home Rebate

Even if you’re not replacing your entire HVAC system with air source heat pumps, or just using them to heat and cool part of your home, the Mass Save partial-home rebate is a great option. This partial-home rebate is based on the amount of energy usage you’re covering with a heat pump, so basically the capacity or size of your air source heat pumps. This is done via a per-ton measurement (1 ton = 12,000 BTUs). For reference, a very rough rule of thumb is most homes need about 1 ton of heating capacity per 750 square feet of living space. For partial home rebates, it is often a good idea to go with ductless heat pumps because the can be more efficient and cheaper to install.