Ask about free home improvements
HEIP is free for eligible customers. LADWP assesses the home, identifies cost-effective improvements, completes approved work, and performs a quality review. Its current eligibility list covers single-family homes, buildings of four units or fewer, condos and townhomes that have not already participated. The page does not list an income cutoff; do not automatically present HEIP as limited to EZ-SAVE customers.
Apply: Submit the online or paper application. Tenants need written owner approval before an assessment is scheduled. The assessed scope determines the work; do not promise every applicant insulation, a new HVAC system, or all appliances.
Official details/application: HEIP ↗. Contact: 888-822-8497.
What the assessment is meant to establish
HEIP begins with the home as it exists. An assessment lets the program identify an appropriate scope rather than approving a shopping list of equipment in advance. Prepare a short description of rooms that are uncomfortable, visible drafts, equipment concerns and any access limitations so that the visit addresses the household's experience.
This is different from hiring a contractor privately and later requesting a rebate. Before buying materials or arranging work, ask whether the program must inspect first and who is authorized to complete its improvements. A program assessment should not be confused with an obligation to buy a separate solar or HVAC package.
Renters: arrange permission early
A tenant can begin by discussing the program with the owner and identifying the person who can authorize work. LADWP says written owner approval is requested before an assessment is scheduled. Coordinate that permission early so a completed tenant application does not stall over access or authority.
Agree on how the assessment will be scheduled and who will attend. Keep the tenant, owner and property manager informed about the proposed scope. Building-wide systems, common areas and units in larger properties can require a different owner-led pathway, which is why the separate Multi-Residential HEIP route is linked in this directory.
Review the proposed work and completion
Ask which measures are included, what is outside the scope, how access will be arranged and whom to contact if the schedule changes. Read the program's current paperwork before consenting. If an optional purchase is offered alongside the assessment, ask for it to be identified separately from the no-cost program work.
After installation, keep the completion information and ask how to report a problem. The assessment, authorized work and quality review are distinct steps. Do not assume a home receives every upgrade listed in a general efficiency article.
Track comfort and usage without inventing savings
Write down the dates of completed work and any equipment changes. Later, compare billing periods carefully: a cooler month or fewer occupants can reduce electricity use even without an upgrade. Daily kWh and similar seasonal periods are more informative than a single final bill total.
A successful project can improve comfort and reduce waste, but this guide has no household-specific before-and-after measurement. Keep the assessment and actual usage separate from estimates. If the property is ineligible, ask a local LIHEAP provider about weatherization or check EBD's address screening.