How To Save Money Through The Weatherization Assistance Program

Background
The federal Weatherization Assistance Program enables income-eligible families to reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy-efficient, such as by reducing air leakage and adding insulation. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, adding weatherization improvements and upgrades to your home can save the average household over $370 each year.

Federal Requirements and Eligible Projects
a. Households at or below 200% of the poverty income guidelines are eligible as are individuals that receive Supplemental Security Income. Priority is given to the elderly, families with one or more members with a disability, families with children, high-energy users, or households with a high-energy burden.
b. Eligible projects include cleaning, tuning, and repairing or replacing cooling and/or heating systems; repairing or replacing primary windows and doors; replacing refrigerators and freezers with energy-efficient models; insulating ducts and water heating pipes; installing efficient light sources and programmable thermostats; assessing fire hazards and installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms when needed; and evaluating mold and moisture hazards.

Arizona Related Requirements and Process for Applying
Since the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is administered at the state and local level, the following has been established for our state:

1. Requirements
a. Eligibility is determined by annual income and number of people in your house:

b. To be eligible, the home must be your primary residence. You can be either a homeowner or a renter, provided you have your landlord’s permission.
c. Eligible properties are single-family homes, multi-family homes (townhomes, duplexes, apartments), and mobile homes.
d. You must use one of the 10 subgrantee organizations, which are located across Arizona, to apply. Your local weatherization provider will schedule an energy auditor to visit your home. Once the energy audit is complete the auditor will provide you with a recommended scope of work of the most cost-effective energy conservation measures for your home, relevant cost savings and potential costs, and expected timeline. When the work is completed, a local inspector will review the work to ensure completion, compliance, and all equipment is operating safely.

2. Eligible Projects (particularly helpful for Arizonans. See Arizona’s overall list)
a. Shading sun-exposed windows. This is primarily for houses using central refrigeration cooling.
b. Implementing air leak control measures to reduce excessive infiltration of outside air.
c. Testing, tuning, and maintaining cooling and heating equipment, and reducing duct leakage where central refrigerated air and heating is distributed by a forced air system.
d. Installing low-flow shower heads and other general energy and water efficiency measures.
e. Additional energy conservation improvements that are identified by the home energy auditor.

Arizona Related Benefits
In conjunction with Arizona’s 10 subgrantee organizations, Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, and Tucson Electric Power promote weatherization services. The utilities also offer energy efficiency and financial assistance programs to save money for eligible customers.

If you or someone you know need help paying for utility bills or appliances — including air conditioning, you can contact Wildfire, a non-profit organization with partnerships across the state of Arizona. The Arizona Department of Economic Security (ADES), through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), offers additional help with utility bills for qualified households.

*Please note the above information taken from government and Arizona utility websites is subject to change. We recommend checking the relevant website(s) for updates. We also recommend checking out our webpage for additional opportunities to save money and save energy: www.savingenergytips.org

For more information: [email protected] or (602)252-9227.