Free Home Energy Upgrades in Tennessee: Uplift & Weatherization

If high power bills are a strain, two programs in Tennessee can pay for energy upgrades that most homeowners would otherwise hire out: Home Uplift, run by TVA EnergyRight with local power companies, and the Weatherization Assistance Program, run statewide by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA). Both are for income-eligible households, and both start with an assessment of the home rather than a sales pitch.

We're a home-project matching service, and we don't run or administer either program. This guide explains what each one says about itself so you can decide whether to apply before paying for upgrades yourself.

TVA Home Uplift

What it provides. TVA says Home Uplift provides an average of $10,000 in free home energy upgrades to income-eligible customers. Examples it lists include new or repaired HVAC units, attic and wall insulation, appliances and electric water heaters. Every participant gets a full Home Performance with ENERGY STAR evaluation of the home, and the work is done by contractors vetted by TVA and the local power company.

Who's eligible. According to TVA, you must:

• be a customer of a local power company that offers Home Uplift;
• meet income qualifications;
• live in a single-family home or a manufactured home (manufactured homes must be built after 1976 and on a permanent foundation);
• not have received upgrades to your current home through a similar TVA-funded project in the last 20 years.

What TVA says it achieves. On average, TVA says participants save $500 a year and reduce home energy use by 25%. Those are program averages, not a promise for any one house.

How to apply. TVA's page has an online application and a phone line. Not every local power company offers Home Uplift, so the application checks whether yours does.

THDA Weatherization Assistance Program

What it is. THDA is the grantee agency for Tennessee's weatherization program. A network of local community agencies and governments delivers services across Tennessee's 95 counties, based on the availability of funding. Congress created the program in 1976 to help low-income households cut heating and cooling costs, with a particular focus on the elderly, people with disabilities and children.

What it covers. THDA lists air sealing, duct sealing and insulation for attics, walls and floors as common measures. The specific work for each house is decided after a detailed energy audit by a certified energy auditor, and THDA says health and safety are part of the goal.

How to apply. THDA directs applicants to the local agency that serves their county, through the Weatherization Agency Locator on its site. Waits can depend on local funding.

Which one first?

You don't have to pick one in theory. Apply where you qualify and see which can serve you sooner. In general:

• Home Uplift is tied to your electric utility and can include HVAC and water heater replacement.
• Weatherization is tied to your county agency and centers on the building envelope: air sealing, ducts and insulation.

Both start with an assessment of the house.

If you don't qualify

Paid upgrades can still be cheaper than full price:

• TVA EnergyRight rebates, such as $300 each for attic insulation, wall insulation, air sealing and duct sealing, and up to $800 for a qualifying heat pump, through a Quality Contractor Network member. See our TVA rebate guide.
• A free DIY energy assessment or an in-person evaluation through TVA EnergyRight, to find the upgrades that matter most.
• $0-down financing that some local power companies offer for energy upgrades.

The federal 25C and 25D tax credits no longer apply to work placed in service after 2025. See our tax credit post.

Fitting free upgrades into a remodel

If you're planning a bigger project, such as a crawl space repair, new windows or an HVAC replacement, a free program can come first:

1. Apply to the program and let its auditor assess the house.
2. Get the program's work done.
3. Then plan paid work around it. A better-sealed, insulated house may need a smaller HVAC system. See HVAC and basements and crawl spaces.

Be wary of anyone who knocks on your door claiming to be "with" Home Uplift or weatherization and asking for payment. Apply through TVA's site or THDA's agency locator directly.