“They did a major awesome job!” That is how a CASA tenant described the weatherization work completed at her home by the Wake County’s Weatherization Assistance Program. Carol’s* duplex in downtown Raleigh was the first of CASA’s properties to be weatherized through this program. Many more are scheduled to be completed throughout the next year. CASA’s low-income tenants have been able to benefit from the program, administered through Resources for Seniors, which involves a complete energy audit to determine where energy is being lost in a building, followed by no-cost weatherization work. These services include installing additional insulation, cleaning and insulating vents, sealing leaks, tuning water heaters, and improving the efficiency of heating and air conditioning units.
Tenant education is also a part of the program. “They told us to keep our heat on ‘auto’ and to change our light bulbs to the energy efficient ones they gave us”, said Carol. “This was the first I heard of weatherization, but we sure do appreciate it.” Stimulus funding increased the capacity of the Wake County program dramatically this year, allowing CASA to receive services for many of its older properties, and to pass these benefits on to our tenants. The average Wake County family who receives weatherization services saves over $400 in energy bills each year.
