Weatherization help available for homeowners
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
LuEthel Nesbit works in the weatherization program at ACTION-Housing, and as a Mon Valley resident and representative of the program, she encourages area residents to apply for weatherization help now.
As it does across Allegheny, Washington and Greene counties, ACTION Housing runs a weatherization program in McKeesport and the Mon/Yough Valley.
Nesbit handles weatherization applications for Mon Valley communities in Allegheny County, including McKeesport, where she is a councilwoman, and nearby communities.
Nesbit said weatherization operates year round, and far too often those in need of services wait to apply until the weather to starts to get chilly.
Or worse, they meet the income and other requirements but never inquire about assistance.
Nesbit said she feels heartache when someone tells her they recently spent their hard-earned money replacing their furnace — or making costly repairs to extend its life a little — before reaching out to a weatherization program to see if they are eligible.
She said it’s fine for people to apply at any point in the year, but now is a “down time” for the program, which makes it a good time for inquiries.
Summer is the perfect opportunity for people to apply, ensure they have all the proper documentation and plan to get on a schedule for work to be done, according to Nesbit.
“Weatherization means those things that will help the house stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” she said. “For example, we do insulation, we do sidewall insulation, we can insulate attics and crawl spaces. We weatherstrip doors, we seal anywhere that cold air is coming in the house. We can repair or replace their heat systems.
“… Weatherization has gotten very sophisticated now where we have equipment that can tell us just how much air is coming in the house and how to effectively block it and keep the house safe.”
The free program is available for income-eligible homeowners and renters (with landlord approval) who are at or below 200% of poverty. An income chart can be found at actionhousing.org/our-services/weatherization/.
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