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A great way to make your home more energy
efficient! |
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Weatherization Services Help Families Lower
Energy Bills, Stay Warmer in Winter |
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As
tough as winters are in northern New York, they’re made all the tougher for
families who have higher energy bills due to energy inefficient homes. Many,
especially the elderly who are on fixed incomes, simply can’t afford to
upgrade insulation or improve their home’s heating system, leaving them
little choice but to face yet another winter trying to stay warm. But the
good news is that dozens of families didn't have to face this situation during
this past year, thanks to Opportunities’
Weatherization Services. The program helps eligible families live
more affordably by providing energy-saving home repairs, and education on
energy conservation and heating system maintenance. Services include hi-tech
energy audits, air sealing, insulation, and other measures to raise the
efficiency of home heating systems. This doesn’t just mean keeping the home
warmer in winter, but also cooler during the hot summer months.
According to Karl VanCour, a longtime Opportunities employee whose expertise
includes home heating systems, the biggest problem in homes is usually not
the furnace. “Often, it’s actually the heating distribution system, such as
heating ducts and poor insulation. Or, it might be that the air filter
hasn’t been changed in a long while, which makes the furnace unable to kick
out the heat that it should,” said Mr. VanCour. Without proper servicing,
the life of the furnace can actually be shortened.
When a family applies for the program, Mr. VanCour pays a visit to the home
and performs an ‘audit’ or assessment of what it will take to make the home
more energy efficient. This includes an air quality test for any gas leaks,
drafts in the heating system, and
combustion efficiency of the heating system. “I also measure
up the square footage of the home, and take notes on how many windows and
doors there are in the home as well as what type they are. I also check the
insulation value as well as the quality of insulation, and even check their
refrigerator as that may also be energy inefficient,”
said Mr. VanCour. Once he completes the audit, he runs the data through a
special computer program to determine an ‘investment ratio’ that determines
if the home is eligible under the program. If so, and if the family meets
other eligibility requirements, work begins on the home
once the crew finishes up prior projects.
According to Mr. VanCour, the time it takes to weatherize a typical home can
take as little as one day or as long as a week. “The families really
appreciate the work we do, especially the elderly who are on fixed incomes.”
He also prided the crew for their outstanding quality of work, and their
diligence in cleaning up after each project is finished. “We really do our
best to leave the place cleaner than we found it,” said Mr. VanCour.
Jolynne Brinkley, Director of the program, couldn’t agree more. She and fellow employee Ann
Wolff often help out at the site doing some of the task work to help the
crew keep up with the production schedule. “These guys are out in all kinds
of weather; they can be working in their Tyvacs (protective clothing) in 90
degrees above zero or 40 degrees below. We have a tight production schedule
all year around, so it feels good when we get the thank-you’s acknowledging
our hard work from families who have been helped by the program.”
Weatherization Services is funded under the NYS Division of Housing and
Community Renewal and has been operated by Opportunities in Lewis County for
over 30 years.
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Weatherization
Crew Praised For Their Courtesy, Quality of Work |
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It’s
not just service; it’s service with a smile. That’s certainly true with the
Opportunities’ Weatherization crew, which time and time again receives
heart-felt thanks and praise from families whose homes are weatherized
through the program. Once such example (illustrated below) arrived in the
form of a letter during a recent, particularly harsh winter.
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In 2007, 73 families
received Weatherization services for a more energy efficient home. |
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About The Weatherization Program: |
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| The Weatherization Program provides a wide
variety of home heating and energy saving services at no cost to income
eligible home owners or renters. Automatic income qualifications include Supplemental
Security Income, public assistance, food stamps and HEAP. As a
footnote, applicants may still qualify even if the applicant is over the
income guidelines, but are receiving one of the benefits mentioned above. |
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| Income eligibility guidelines are
based on 60% of the State median income and family size. Income
guidelines are as follows: |
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| Income
Guidelines: Effective October 1, 2007 |
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| Number of Persons In Household |
Total Gross Monthly Income |
Total Gross Yearly Income |
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1 |
$1,876 |
$22,512 |
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2 |
$2,454 |
$29,448 |
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3 |
$3,031 |
$36,372 |
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4 |
$3,609 |
$43,308 |
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5 |
$4,186 |
$50,232 |
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6 |
$4,763 |
$57,156 |
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7 |
$4,871 |
$58,452 |
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8 |
$4,980 |
$59,760 |
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9 |
$5,088 |
$61,056 |
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10 |
$5,196 |
$62,352 |
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11
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$5,626 |
$67,512 |
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Each Additional Person |
$435 |
$5,100 |
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| (Please note income guidelines may be subject to
change without notice.) |
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How we can help you as a homeowner or tenant:
- High-tech energy audits
- Testing, cleaning and repairs to heating systems
- Replacement or repair of broken windows and/or
external doors
- Air sealing around doors and windows
- Health and safety check on all heating systems
- Insulation and other energy related measures
- Energy efficiency lighting
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The following services are performed as
needed, based on the analysis by a trained energy auditor:
- Test, clean and repairs to the heating system
- The addition of insulation
- Repair of broken and/or exterior doors
- Air sealing as per a blower door test
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| Renters can qualify by the 50% rule. If one
apartment in a building of two qualifies then weatherization can be done on
the whole apartment building. In buildings of more than two apartments, if 66%
or 2/3 of the tenants qualify, weatherization can be done on the whole
building. Landlords are asked to pay a percentage toward the cost of the
weatherization and this amount goes back into the repairs of the units. |
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How To Apply For The Weatherization Program: |
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| 1. |
Opportunities provides Weatherization
Services within Lewis County. Applicants should contact our New Bremen Office, at
376-8202, extension 237, to obtain an application. Or,
email us!
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| 2. |
Fill out the application completely and return
with one month wage statements for entire household.
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Proof of ownership (deed, tax copy, mortgage,
etc.) from a landlord and/or owner.
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Account numbers and address from both electrical
services and fuel suppliers.
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| Weatherization Assistance is supported by the
NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal. |
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Copyright © 2003-2008 Lewis County Opportunities,
Inc.
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