ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors earn $100 back per rough opening. That helps with the upgrade cost, but it rarely justifies a replacement on energy savings alone.
For full program details and to apply, visit the official Home Renovation Savings™ program.
The Home Renovation Savings™ program pays $100 back per rough opening for windows and doors, and the units must be ENERGY STAR certified for the region. A twelve-opening house therefore sees around $1,200 back, which is real money but a small share of a full replacement quote.
Windows are a relatively small fraction of a home's total heat loss compared with the attic and general air leakage, so energy savings alone rarely justify replacing them. That is why the per-opening rebate is modest next to the $7,700 available for insulation.
That said, failed seals, rotting frames, and single-pane glass are genuine problems. Comfort near the window, condensation, and noise are legitimate reasons to replace even when the payback math is long.
If you are replacing anyway, the $100 per opening is where the rebate helps most: it offsets the incremental cost of stepping up from builder-grade to certified high-performance units.
Check certification before you order. A window that is not ENERGY STAR certified earns nothing under the program, no matter how good the quoted specification sounds.
Installation quality matters as much as the product. A well-made window installed with poor air sealing will underperform a modest window installed carefully.