Home Weatherproofing Aid for Low-Income Families (online only)
April 2010
By Jason Alderman
If you’re plagued by winter drafts and high heating bills but
can’t afford to weatherproof your home, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE)
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) just might be able to help.
Since 1976, WAP has helped protect more than 6 million low-income
households from summer’s heat and winter’s cold, significantly lowering both
individual utility bills and overall national energy usage. And thanks to a
dramatic $5 billion infusion from last year’s American Recovery and Investment
Act, WAP is on target to weatherize – for free – an additional 1 million
households a year.
Here’s how WAP works:
Each year, Congress appropriates funding to the DOE to administer
the program. DOE then provides WAP funding and technical guidance to individual
states, U.S. territories and Indian tribes, which in turn fund local agencies
to install energy conservation materials and make repairs in qualified
low-income homes.
The 2009 Recovery Act increased the average household expenditure
limit from $2,500 to $6,500. It also expanded WAP eligibility to include anyone
whose income is at or below 200 percent of the poverty level for their
household size. Each state sets its own program rules, however, so many have
more generous eligibility criteria.
WAP provides energy-efficiency services that are tailored to each
home, whether a single- or multi-family dwelling or mobile home. Homeowners and
renters can apply, although renters must obtain written permission from their
landlords.
As many as 30 million families are eligible for WAP. Those
receiving Supplemental Security Income or Aid to Families with Dependent
Children are automatically eligible. In other cases, preference is usually
given to people over age 60, families with one or more disabled members and
families with children.
To see if you are eligible for WAP, visit
www.eere.energy.gov/weatherization, which contains application instructions,
contact information for individual state programs and local weatherization
service providers, frequently asked questions, and a step-by-step description
of how the process works.
As part of the application process you will be asked to provide
proof of income and other qualifying information. If accepted, you will receive
a professional energy consultation by the agency. They will conduct a home
energy audit during which they will likely:
* Analyze your utility
bills
* Test infiltration of
outside air into your home
* Inspect your home and
equipment for safety
* Determine the most
cost-effective energy conservation measures for your home.
Depending on what they find, the agency will then conduct needed
repairs and equipment installation, which might include: installing wall, floor
and attic insulation; sealing and repairing ducts; reducing air infiltration
and pressure imbalances; and tuning, repairing or replacing heating and cooling
systems, as needed. You also will receive tips on ways to further reduce your
utility bills on an ongoing basis.
Even if you aren’t eligible for WAP, you may qualify for
short-term utility bill assistance through the Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and administered by individual states. To learn more, visit
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap.
Don’t let personal income challenges stand in the way of
weatherproofing your home or paying your heating bill this winter.