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Weatherization is very simple — it improves energy efficiency and permanently reduces energy bills. Weatherization serves low-income American families that pay the highest percentage of their incomes for energy bills, producing long-lasting benefits for them and an economic boost for their communities.
Energy Expenses as a Proportion of Income
Low-income households spend much more of their income on energy bills than do families with median incomes (see chart). This percentage of income spent on energy is called the "energy burden," and it is substantial for some weatherization recipients. For example, some elderly recipients who lived on fixed incomes pay as much as 35% of their annual incomes for energy bills.
Weatherization reduces heating bills an average of 32% (2002 numbers).
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Low-income families pay much more for energy in relation to their total income than do the rest of the population.
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Many weatherization clients are senior citizens, single parents, or disabled. DOE guidelines for eligibility give preference to homes where one or more family member has a disability. Some statistics about recipients follow:
- 49% of households receiving weatherization services have one or more family members who have disabilities or are elderly and with special needs.
- 90% of weatherization clients have incomes less than $15,000, and two-thirds earn less than $8,000 per year.
For a complete overview of energy consumption by U.S. residential households of all incomes, see the DOE Energy Information Agency's Residential Energy Consumption Survey-Housing Characteristics 2001.
Reducing Dependency Among Low-Income Weatherization Clients
Weatherization provides a lasting solution by addressing the cause of high energy bills. Energy improvements such as, for example, adding insulation to the walls and roofs, last as long as the house stands. Energy efficiency results in savings that can be counted on year after year.
By permanently reducing ongoing expenses, weatherization helps recipients become more self-sufficient. This attribute of weatherization recipients is borne out by statistics in study after study. For example, low-income families who receive weatherization have a lower rate of default on their utility bills and require less emergency heating assistance. See a complete list of these type of statistics under "Non-energy benefits of weatherization."
Educating the Public on Energy Efficiency
A weatherization worker explains ways to keep energy bills low to an elderly weatherization client in northern Alabama. (Credit: Community Action and Community Development Agency of Northern Alabama) |
An energy retrofit is not the end of the story. Many energy efficiency measures require clients to change their behavior slightly to maintain the savings. For example, increasing the insulation of a home allows the homeowner to reduce the thermostat setting while keeping the same level of comfort, but the homeowner must do so to achieve maximum savings.
The Weatherization Assistance Program enables states and local service providers who work in the homes of weatherization clients to provide educational materials on energy efficiency. This is a sector of the public that is difficult for traditional energy education programs to reach, and a personal approach is effective. State studies and DOE-sponsored program evaluations find that effective education programs increase savings among weatherization clients and maintain the savings for longer periods. Weatherization providers have easy access because they perform work in these homes, so client education has become an essential part of the more effective state weatherization programs.
DOE helps the process by publishing educational fact sheets about energy efficiency for homeowners and renters.
Millions of American Families are Eligible for Weatherization
Despite having provided weatherization to millions of families, much work remains. One study published by DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) found that only 16% of eligible households have been served. Altogether, more than 34 million households are currently eligible for assistance, of which 10 to 15 million are good candidates for weatherization.
Each year, DOE publishes guidelines defining poverty levels and for states to set levels of income to qualify (PDF 102 KB) Download Acrobat Reader. (Nevertheless, states set rules and determine who is eligible for assistance.)
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