National Weatherization Day Oct. 30

[October 25, 2010]  Oct. 30 has been designated by the Department of Energy as Weatherization Day. The dedication of this day celebrates the accomplishments of the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program, a federal, state and local partnership.

As the cold weather approaches, most families across the country are turning up their thermostats to combat dropping temperatures. For low-income families, however, cranking up the heat is not always an option. These families pay 14.4 percent or more of their annual incomes for energy, compared with only 3.3 percent for other families. Unable to pay big balances or hefty reconnection fees, some families are considering how they will survive this winter without heat.

The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program can help. This program provides permanent solutions to reduce the energy burden on low-income families by installing cost-effective, energy-efficient materials and services.

Weatherization technicians use computerized energy audits and advanced diagnostic technologies, such as blower doors, flue gas analyzers and infrared cameras, to determine the most cost-effective measures for each home. They also assess related health and safety conditions. Technicians check furnaces and appliances for carbon monoxide. Last year, Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois identified over 30 homes with high levels of carbon monoxide. This measure made a life-or-death difference for the families in these homes.

Serving as the nation's core program for delivering energy-efficiency services to low-income households, the U.S. Department of Energy's Weatherization Assistance Program prioritizes service to the elderly, individuals with disabilities and households with children. Since its inception in 1976, more than 5 million households have experienced energy-efficiency, financial, and health and safety gains as a result of weatherization measures.

"Although most dwellings waste energy, different types of houses have different energy problems. The present circumstances and condition of your home will determine how much energy savings our program can bring to you," said Angela Stoltzenburg, executive director of Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois.

Community Action is a private, nonprofit organization that administers federal, state and local programs in order to provide necessary services to low-income and senior individuals in a six-county service area. Community Action currently provides weatherization services in DeWitt, Mason, Menard, Logan and Piatt counties.

For more information about Community Action's weatherization program, visit www.capcil.org or call 1-877-588-7189.

[Text copied from file received from Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois]