Grant funds boost home fixups
Meg Alexander — Staff Writer
POSTED: October 15, 2009
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JUST WARMING UP — Steve Schnitzmeier, on the ground, and Pat Bauleke of Minnesota Valley Action Council work to weatherize a home in Fairmont.
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FAIRMONT - Their breath visible in the cold October air, workers weatherized a Fairmont home this week.
"I think I'll be seeing a difference in the bill next month," said Jon Nutt, rubbing his hands together to keep them warm.
Minne-sota Valley Action Council estimates weather-ization reduces a family's fuel costs by 27 percent. The agency was at Nutt's home this week, blowing new insulation into the walls, replacing a furnace and sealing up windows.
"I've been on layoff all summer, so we've been trying to reduce bills," Nutt said.
The homeowners' furnace stopped working in May, adding to the family's financial pressures.
"I'm laid off and broke, and my wife somehow found this program," he said.
This time each year, MVAC is helping income-eligible families prepare their homes for winter, sealing out drafts and lowering heating bills in the meantime. Federal stimulus funds are boosting the agency's weatherization budget by $5 million for the next two to three years.
Most projects cost around $3,000, but the additional money means the agency can take on more - taking further steps to winterize each home and doubling the number of households it helps. In a typical year, it does 200 to 250 housing units, with $6,500 as the maximum per unit.
"Homeowners have to apply for heating assistance first, and then we look at heating costs," said Judd Schultz, housing director. "Homes with high energy consumption go to the top of the list."
After the Nutts called MVAC, energy auditor Tracee Johnson came and inspected their home, setting up a blower door to check the house's air flow. The reading was about 2,800 air changes per hour. The goal is 1,500.
"That means the volume of air going out is equal to the 2,800 coming in," explained Dave Kumm, housing rehab coordinator.
Built in 1925, the house is drafty, Nutt acknowledged.
"We sided it ourselves ... and we noticed quite a difference there after that ... but it's still cold," he said.
With winter setting in early this year, weatherization came at a good time.
To see if your home qualifies for weatherization or the energy assistance program, call MVAC at (507) 345-6822. Households must be at or below 200 percent of the poverty level, so a family of four earning $44,100 is eligible.