Weatherization helps low-income households save on energy costs and reduces their overall energy consumption. Priority is given to elderly individuals, disabled persons and families with children.
Whole-home weatherization stops unwanted chills from seeping through windows and doors in the winter, and heat and air conditioning from escaping on those scorcher summer days. But it’s not just a benefit to the household – it has many societal benefits, too.
Energy Savings
The energy savings that result from weatherization help reduce a household’s overall utility cost burden, as well as emissions from heating and cooling and from appliances. In addition, new climate laws like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offer tremendous incentives for home energy efficiency and electrification projects, including weatherization.
For example, a household can earn rebates from the federal Home Energy Assistance Program (WAP) if they meet certain income requirements. The WAP provides a comprehensive series of home energy improvements such as insulation, air sealing, and appliance replacements. This helps to reduce energy costs and makes a house more comfortable. The improvements help to create local jobs in the energy efficiency industry.
In the US, lower-income households are disproportionately affected by high energy prices. For example, in 2017, Black households spent 43% more of their income on energy costs than white households did. This energy burden is especially high in communities that are close to fossil fuel power plants. Weatherization can help to alleviate this by reducing energy consumption in homes, and also by decreasing demand for electricity from dirty coal and gas-fired power plants.
The WAP offers services to both homeowners and renters, but only those with a household income below 200% of the federal poverty guideline are eligible for services. The program includes a no-cost home energy audit and subsequent energy-saving measures that improve the thermal envelope, such as insulation and air sealing. The program can also include heating system repair or replacement and refrigerator replacement with Energy Star-rated units.
Health & Safety
The goal of weatherization is to create more livable, healthier homes for low income households. Research shows that households receive a wide range of health and household-related benefits, including fewer days missed due to illness or cold related illnesses, reduced out-of-pocket medical costs, and the ability to purchase essentials like healthy food, clothing, heating oil and medical prescriptions. It is estimated that for every dollar invested in the program, families receive $2.78 in non-energy benefits.
Sometimes called “weatherproofing,” or winterizing, the weatherization process reduces energy waste and increases comfort year round. It stops cold air from entering a home in the winter, and it seals out hot, humid air during the summer. It also prevents moisture build up, and it keeps appliances and electronics from overheating and malfunctioning. Weatherization can include caulking, insulation, sealing recessed lighting fixtures (known as ‘can lights’ or ‘high hats’) and other measures that make houses more comfortable and safe, while protecting them from the elements.
It’s important to note that many income eligible households have barriers that prevent them from receiving weatherization services. These barriers need to be addressed in order for households to benefit from the program. Some states are addressing these barriers through state and utility-funded programs that address weatherization barriers and allow for more comprehensive home assessments. Others are tracking deferral rates to identify patterns and trends that can inform program improvements.
Environmental Benefits
Weatherization helps reduce energy use and thereby the related greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. This is particularly important in low-income households, which are often exposed to extreme temperatures, and have been shown to spend up to 16 percent of their income on energy bills.
The federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) was created to improve the energy efficiency of dwellings in which low-income families live, thereby reducing their energy expenditures, while improving health and safety. The Energy Department provides funding to state, U.S. overseas territories, and Indian tribal governments that manage the WAP programs and a network of local community action agencies, non-profit organizations, and local government providers known as subgrantees that perform weatherization services.
A properly weatherized house stops unwanted chills from seeping in during the winter, and keeps heat out during the summer. It can also improve air quality by eliminating outside contaminants that enter the home, and reducing moisture infiltration. This has been shown to be helpful for people who suffer from asthma, allergies, and other respiratory conditions.
National studies have demonstrated that weatherization greatly reduces the number of times a household needs to seek medical attention for symptoms associated with extreme temperature conditions. This is particularly important in homes occupied by individuals who have chronic illnesses that are exacerbated by these conditions.
Economic Benefits
Weatherization offers a host of economic benefits for households and communities. It helps reduce energy bills, saves on health-related costs and improves home comfort and durability. And it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and supports a clean energy economy. For example, every weatherized home that replaces oil heating with natural gas eliminates 0.85 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Across the country, homes are more likely to benefit from weatherization than any other type of home improvement. But, despite the clear economic and environmental benefits, too few families benefit from the program. This is partly due to a lack of awareness about the program, which can be difficult to navigate for people with limited English proficiency or limited income.
ACEEE recommends that policymakers keep application processes simple and transparent, combined with targeted marketing and outreach to make weatherization more accessible. This includes increasing the number of trained workers and improving access to financing, which can enable a greater number of households to receive weatherization. In addition, public health scholars should apply their behavioral insights to support uptake of the program and legal scholars should help shape laws governing weatherization programs. Together, these changes will create a virtuous cycle that increases savings and reduces barriers to weatherization. The result is a better future for all Americans. Investing in weatherization aligns with DOE’s goals of achieving a net-zero carbon emissions economy-wide by 2050 and addressing historic energy and environmental injustices.