Midwest Energy customers, Kansas · Loan
How$mart
Run by Midwest Energy, Inc.
Midwest Energy electric and gas customers, owners or renters, can pay for insulation, air sealing and new heating and cooling systems with no upfront cost through How$mart, repaid by a monthly charge on the utility bill set below the estimated energy savings.
Amounts
How much you get
How$mart pays for the improvements that the estimated energy savings justify; the monthly charge on your bill must be less than the estimated savings. Residential terms are 3.0% interest over 15 years, plus program fees of 5.0% of Midwest Energy's investment. You pay any cost the savings don't cover, and can pay off early without penalty.
Eligibility
Do I qualify?
You need to meet all 5 of these.
Midwest Energy electric and/or gas customer in good standing (current on utility payments).
Homeowners, tenants and landlords can use it; for a rental, both the landlord and the tenant must agree.
What to doGet your landlord to agree to the How$mart project.
You must start with a How$mart energy audit by Midwest Energy.
What to doCall Midwest Energy at 1-800-222-3121 to schedule the How$mart audit.
A home in a mobile home park qualifies only if it is attached to a permanent concrete foundation such as a basement or crawlspace.
The contractor you choose must sign Midwest Energy's Contractor Master Agreement; you can also install materials yourself, but only materials are paid for.
What to doPick a contractor from Midwest Energy's participating contractor lists, or ask Midwest Energy to sign up your contractor. Get a quote from a contractor
Equipment
What equipment counts
Applying
How to apply
You apply by phone.
- Call Midwest Energy at 1-800-222-3121 to schedule a How$mart audit.
The audit can include blower door, duct and combustion tests, infrared scans and HVAC sizing. Gas-only or electric-only customers bring three years of usage from the other utility.
- Get your audit report and conservation plan.
Mailed within two weeks; some measures (like attic insulation to R-38) may be required before others.
- Choose a participating contractor and complete the improvements.
- Final evaluation and signing.
The auditor checks the work, you sign the agreements, and the surcharge is added to your bill.
Forms and instructions, including for applying by mailHow$mart Q&A Sheet (revised 12/3/2024) · How$mart brochure
Questions about applying1-800-222-3121
Stacking
Use it with
Your address
Next steps
Check that it covers your address. Then, if you want, ask for a contractor quote.
Is it available at your address?
Before anything else
Your quote request is in If a contractor we work with serves your ZIP, they can contact you. We take one request per person; contact us to change it.
Get an email if this program changes
We'll write if its amount, status or deadline changes. Nothing else.
FAQ
Questions
How much does How$mart pay?
How$mart pays for the improvements that the estimated energy savings justify; the monthly charge on your bill must be less than the estimated savings. Residential terms are 3.0% interest over 15 years, plus program fees of 5.0% of Midwest Energy's investment. You pay any cost the savings don't cover, and can pay off early without penalty.
Do I need to be a Midwest Energy customer?
Yes. It’s only for homes in Midwest Energy customers, Kansas. See Do I qualify for the details.
Do renters qualify?
Homeowners, tenants and landlords can use it; for a rental, both the landlord and the tenant must agree. Get your landlord to agree to the How$mart project.
Do I have to use a contractor?
Yes. The contractor you choose must sign Midwest Energy's Contractor Master Agreement; you can also install materials yourself, but only materials are paid for.
Do I need approval before I buy?
You must start with a How$mart energy audit by Midwest Energy. Call Midwest Energy at 1-800-222-3121 to schedule the How$mart audit.
Is it still available?
Yes. It was open when we last checked, on October 28, 2026.
What happens if I sell my home?
The payment moves to the new owner if you give proper written disclosure. Without it, you must repay the remaining balance within 30 days of the sale.
Does Midwest Energy put a lien on my property?
It files a UCC form. Midwest Energy files a Uniform Commercial Code form with the county Register of Deeds for every How$mart obligation so buyers know about it.
Can I do the work myself?
Yes. But Midwest Energy will only pay for the materials, not the labor.
Can I make extra payments?
No. You can pay the balance in full early without penalty, but you can't double up on payments.
Plain words
Words used on this page
References
Sources
This page is built from these official pages, run by the program itself.
When one of these pages changes, we re-check this page against it.
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