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Weatherization |
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The Weatherization
Assistance Program (WAP) serves eligible
households in Cheshire and Sullivan counties and
is designed to help reduce heating and other
energy costs for income-eligible households,
thereby providing warmer and safer homes for
these families.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply for the Weatherization Assistance
Program, a family must first be eligible for the
Fuel Assistance Program. At that point,
eligibility is determined by gross household
income and vulnerability to heating costs.
Priority is given to the elderly, to the
handicapped, and to households with small
children. |
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Income Guidelines
(effective January 20, 2011) |
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Family Size |
Income Limit Annual |
| 1 |
$21,780 |
| 2 |
$29,420 |
| 3 |
$37,060 |
| 4 |
$44,700 |
| 5 |
$52,340 |
| 6 |
$59,980 |
| 7 |
$67,620 |
| 8 |
$75,260 |
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Each additional member add |
$7,640 |
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What to Expect
Once a family becomes involved in the program, an Energy
Home Assessment is performed by a New Hampshire
Weatherization Assistance Program (NH WAP) certified
energy auditor ( please note: if you are a renter, SCS
must first have landlord approval). The results of the
assessment will determine what energy improvements and
what health and safety measures are needed. Such
measures may include attic, wall, and floor insulation;
air sealing materials to stop air infiltration, such as
caulking, weather-stripping, door sweeps, and glass
replacement; installation of appropriate ventilation;
tuning and cleaning heating systems and appliances; and
lighting and hot water improvements. (Assistance for a
furnace replacement is based on the availability of
funds.)
The energy auditor will then write up a job performance
work order and assign the work to a trained
sub-contractor. (Please note that job priority is
dependent upon several factors and that these factors
will have an impact upon the time frames for which
various jobs are scheduled and completed.) After each
job is completed, it is inspected and is tested once
again by the energy auditor for final results.
Throughout this process, the energy auditor works
closely with the family, discussing what work will be
done on the home, what results hope to be achieved, and
how they can continue saving energy by including energy
conservation actions in their lifestyles.
Other Information
The Weatherization Assistance Program operates on
federal grants from the US Department of Energy (DOE)
and the US Department of Health and Human Services Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The Weatherization Assistance Program aims for three
goals:
- To reduce a family’s energy cost by 19-22%
- To improve a family’s living conditions
- To provide the family a warmer, safer, and more
comfortable home
At the present time, there is a waiting list of 1500
households in Cheshire and Sullivan counties. On the
average, the Weatherization Assistance Program is able
to complete about 75 to 100 homes per year. |
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Button Up New Hampshire
Southwestern Community Services’ (SCS) Energy
Conservation Program is one of many
organizations to partner up with Button Up New
Hampshire (BUNH), a project of Clean Air-Cool
Planet and the New England Carbon Challenge.
BUNH presenters, experienced home energy
auditors, will conduct free home weatherization
workshops across the state this fall/winter. SCS
energy auditors will be presenting six BUNH
workshops in and around the Monadnock Region.
The workshops focus on increasing the energy
efficiency of your home or apartment (with
landlord consent). SCS’ qualified home energy
experts will introduce participants to the
basics of home energy budgets and the value of
home weatherization. Each workshop will include
information on how simple household adjustments
and modest investments can lead to significant
energy savings over the long haul.
Button Up New Hampshire 2010 is made possible
through grants from the Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Reduction Fund of the New Hampshire Public
Utilities Commission, New Hampshire Charitable
Foundation, and Jane’s Trust, and through the
support of
regional partners. |
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SCS is an Equal
Opportunity Employer |
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A United Way Agency |
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For more information, please contact: |
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Phone: 603.719.4246
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Cheshire County |
63 Community Way
PO Box 603
Keene, NH 03431
Phone: 603.352.7512
Toll Free: 800.529.0005
Fax: 603.352.3618
TTY-NH Relay: 800.735.2964 |
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Sullivan County |
96-102 Main Street
PO Box 1338
Claremont, NH 03743
Phone: 603.542.9528
Toll Free: 800.529.0005
Fax: 603.542.3140
TTY-NH Relay: 800.735.2964 |
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