Did you know
that some Linn County residents save an average of $437 per year on
energy for homes weatherized under Community Services Consortium’s (CSC)
Weatherization Assistance Program? Started in 1979, Weatherization
Services in Linn County continue today with the Community Services
Consortium, the Mid-Willamette Valley’s Community Action Agency.
“The
demand for weatherization services has not changed, crews continue to
work to keep up and the applications keep coming in,” says Steve Jole,
CSC Weatherization Supervisor. But changes in technology over the years have improved services. Today, like taking a modern car into the shop, Weatherization crews use testing equipment to get a complete picture of a home’s energy performance before beginning work, identifying areas of the greatest savings and priority concerns such as safety and health. When compared to test results after the work is complete, weatherization crews know the impact of the measures installed.
While there are a number of utility programs that encourage most Oregonians to save energy, CSC offers energy-saving tools to those who need it most. Many homeowners and renters begin by enrolling in CSC's Energy Assistance Program and Energy Education Programs to learn about how to use their homes most efficiently, while at the same time getting into the Weatherization Assistance Program for energy-efficiency work. The partnership among these programs makes for a straightforward, one-stop shop for those seeking improvement of their living conditions and reducing their utility bills.
While watching their utility bills drop, homeowners also see comfortable temperatures in the winter, and may see their appliances work properly again or in some cases, replaced. For one resident, this meant having ice cream instead of goo - a big bonus. In some cases it’s much more urgent, such as in the case of having no heat at all. Energy-efficient measures and improvements can range from insulation, weather stripping, installation of mechanical ventilation and carbon monoxide detectors, to the replacement of inefficient refrigerators.
The Weatherization Assistance Program has also taken part in renewable energy efforts in the 1980’s and again in 2010 to install solar greenhouses with more than 250 kilowatts of combined solar panels, including sites for FISH of Albany, Albany Helping Hands and Shangri La homes for the Disabled.
While renewable energy is important, energy conservation must come first. Says a US Department of Energy consultant, "We can’t have our renewable energy dessert without having our conservation vegetables first."
The
CSC Weatherization program also offers experience to crew members who
take jobs in the fields of renewable and energy conservation sector. The program also embarks on large projects in partnership with area shelters, multifamily housing facilities and more. In 2013, the Weatherization Program is offering Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services of Corvallis assistance for measures on each of the 51 units being rehabbed at the Lancaster Bridge apartments near Conifer Boulevard in Corvallis. The assistance provides support for measures to be included that meet the program's health and safety guidelines.
Measures include under-floor installation tightly fastened to the joists meeting the subfloor, low energy using bathroom exhaust fans, and the installation of efficient windows that exceed building code. Other pending projects include the replacement of an outdated boiler furnace and controls with a new state-of-the-art, high-efficiency boiler and modern controls for the Corvallis-based social service agency, Community Outreach Inc.
All together over these 33 years, nationwide, 6.4 million families have been served in the Weatherization Program, and the need continues as strongly today as before. These projects are run in addition to services provided to individuals throughout Linn County and CSC's larger service area.
Applications for Weatherization services are available at CSC. Completed applications are reviewed to determine if a family or individual qualifies for the program. CSC welcomes income requirements inquiries by phone, and they can also be found online at communityservices.us/housing/weatherization-income-guidelines/. If you are interested in receiving Weatherization services, please call CSC at 541-758-2627.
