Weatherization program can help low-income

After the severe weather of Hurricane Sandy, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin is reminding West Virginians of the Wea-therization Assistance program for low-income families.

“The Weatherization Assistance Program can help make lasting changes to low-income residents’ homes and keep them warm for many winters to come,” Tomblin said.

Low-income families pay 14% or more of their incomes for energy, compared with only 3.3% for other families. As a result, some families consider surviving the winter without heat, according to the National Association for State Community Services Programs.

The West Virginia Weatherization Assistance Program can make a difference by using state-of-the-art energy audits, air sealing, insulation and heating combustion analysis and repair/replacement to make energy efficient improvements in low-income and moderate-income homes.

The federal program assists with the reduction of residential energy burdens on low-income Americans and protects them against fuel price volatility. Weatherization saves each family an estimated $437 in heating and cooling costs annually.

Eligibility requirements can be found at the Office of Economic Opportunity website.