Weatherization / Energy Management

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NWCCOG Weatherization Program holds its annual end of the year training day on June 25th, 2009 - the weatherization team is pictured here

Program Overview

The Governor's Energy Office Weatherization Program provides services to low and moderate income homes to reduce their fuel consumption and heating costs. Colorado residents can apply for these services by requesting a free home energy audit. A home energy audit is a custom evaluation of the most appropriate cost-saving measures, including, but not limited to, insulation, appliance replacement and overall building durability. The free audit determines which of these measures will best improve the home's energy efficiency and result in the highest possible energy savings. Weatherization has helped preserve affordable housing units in the region. By reducing a household's energy consumption and heating costs, these families have more income available to spend within their local communities.

Old, inefficient furnaces are replaced with 92% or 80%-efficient models. Also, refrigerator electricity usage is measured as part of the initial energy audit and refrigerators using excessive amounts of electricity are replaced with a new Whirlpool Energy Star-rated refrigerator. All old refrigerators are returned to an appliance recycling facility in Denver. 

Many of the homes, particularly mobile homes, weatherized in the High Country Weatherization Region have pre-existing health and safety problems. In addition to reducing energy comsumption and heating costs, the weatherization process corrects any health and safety problems found, such as gas leaks and carbon monoxide problems. Every home that uses propane or natural gas receives a minimum of two safety inspections.

Weatherization has a main office in Silverthorne and a field office in New Castle. In addition to weatherizing homes within the NWCCOG region, NWCCOG weatherizes homes in Chaffee, Clear Creek, Garfield, Lake, Moffat, Park, Rio Blanco, and Routt Counties.

History of the Program

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) began in the 1970's in response to the 1973 oil embargo, which increased the energy burden on low-income households. (The average low-income household spends 17% of its income on residential energy as opposed to 4% for the average American family.) NWCCOG has weatherized over 1500 homes since becoming a local administering agency under the WAP. Weatherization has helped preserve affordable housing units in the region and, by reducing a household's energy consumption and expenditures, increases the amount of money that these households have available to spend in their local communities. The Weatherization program has been demonstrated to be cost-effective in studies by both Oak Ridge National Laboratories and the Public Service Company of Colorado.

 How Does the Program Work?

If you qualify, you could get: caulking and weatherstripping, insulation, storm windows, furnace tune-up, minor repairs, furnace replacement, refrigerator replacement

If your income is less than the guidelines listed on the chart to the right, the NWCCOG Energy Management Program can do this work on your house or mobile home FREE OF CHARGE!

If you receive LEAP, TANF, OAP, or SSI, you automatically qualify for NWCCOG's Weatherization services. The improvements will be made by NWCCOG Weatherization Specialists through federal and state grant monies.

Interested? Please Call 1-800-332-3669

 

 

This program is available in the following counties: Chaffee County, Clear Creek County, Eagle County, Garfield County, Grand County, Jackson County , Lake County, Moffat County , Park County, Pitkin County, Rio Blanco County
Routt County, Summit County