Weatherization Program
With funding provided from the Department of Energy and the Department of Housing, the Weatherization Program provides necessary home repairs to prevent heat loss and repair or replace heating systems when necessary. The goal of the program is to assist clients in securing a safe, healthy home environment and reduce heating and cooling bills by providing necessary home repairs. This may include repair or replacement of heating systems when necessary.
Some examples of the benefits of the Weatherization Program:
- Helping an elderly client to stay in their home by replacing an unsafe furnace;
- Teaching a single parent to save on utility costs and use the savings for their family;
- Repairing a client's furnace after it has run out of fuel due to their being in the hospital;
- Seeing that children are warm and safe and not breathing carbon monoxide from kerosene heaters because their families are unable to repair or replace their broken furnace;
- Insulating attics, walls and floors to slow heat loss;
- Letters from some of our grateful clients.
Eligibility for the program is based on income, although priority is given to the elderly and disabled. Upon approval, an inspection is performed on the client's home by the Weatherization staff to determine the extent of repairs necessary to make the residence safe, healthy and energy efficient.
In the year 2008, our Weatherization staff completed work on 104 homes, enabling 209 persons to stay warm in their homes and lower utility bills.
The Weatherization Program staff is committed to the health and safety of the clients served. All repairs to heat systems must meet the National Fuel Gas Code and all homes undergo a National Energy Audit and blower door infiltration test.
For more information or to apply for assistance, please contact your county's Community Developer Office.
Weatherization Related Links:
National Association for State Community Services Programs (NASCSP)
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
