Keeping Your Home Warm For Less

Old man winter blew in with a vengeance this year, adding heating costs to the budgets of all families across Door County. But the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) can help homeowners with heating bills, provide emergency heating assistance, and even weatherize homes for long-term energy and financial savings.

In 2009, income guidelines to qualify for WHEAP were relaxed, allowing more people to qualify for assistance. Now those who make 60 percent of the state median income level can qualify for assistance.

WHEAP is administered locally at the Women’s Employment Project (WEP) in Sturgeon Bay. Qualifying families will receive a one-time heating assistance payment of $100 – $500 this year (depending upon their energy use). The payment is generally sent directly to the heating provider and shows up as a credit on heating or electric bills. Applications are taken from Oct. 1 to May 15.

Households that receive heating assistance will also be put on a list to receive weatherization assistance for their homes.

This is the second winter that Melissa Kunze and her family are cozy and warm in their five-bedroom, 140-year-old Italianate Brick home in Kewaunee. She applied for heating assistance from the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) about three years ago. Once accepted, the onsite weatherization work took about three weeks.

“It was a bit of a disruption to our normal routine,” Kunze said, “but we looked at it as a short term investment of time with long term rewards.”

The family saw a 50 percent savings on their heating bills last year, and while every family won’t see such large savings, Kunze said the program is worth looking into.

“The homeowner uses less energy and saves money for their families, local jobs are created to do the work, utility companies don’t have to produce as much energy and can keep prices down, and state and federal governments invest in these programs to have less stress on the already over stretched power grid,” Kunze said. There are also programs for landlords who are over the income limits to make energy efficient upgrades if their tenants meet the income guidelines. Weatherization Program Manager Chris Chase encourages people close to the posted income levels to apply.

Kunze agreed, “Even if you’re close to the income levels, give it a try. You may qualify for some assistance weatherproofing your home. We are so glad we did!”

Once a home is selected, an auditor inspects it from top to bottom and makes recommendations for adding insulation, sealing air leaks, and possibly replacing older, less efficient appliances with new high-efficiency models. The auditor may also recommend installing water-saving faucet aerators and showerheads and ENERGY STAR light bulbs. In many cases, much of the work is done for little or no cost to the homeowner. Program eligibility and priority is based on need. Those families with high heating bills, safety or emergency issues, or less insulated homes get highest priority. Once the audit is complete, Chase reviews it and creates a plan for weatherization work.

To find out more about heating assistance and weatherization programs or if you need emergency heating assistance, call 920.743.7273 or stop into the WEP/Job Center offices in the Cherry Point Mall in Sturgeon Bay.