Weatherization helps people save money and improve their home’s energy efficiency. It also reduces carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
Weatherizing homes can improve indoor air quality and make them healthier environments for occupants who suffer from respiratory illnesses. Weatherization is available for both homeowners and renters (with landlord permission).
The weatherization process begins with an energy audit or home energy assessment. Then a whole-home, top to bottom, weatherization is implemented by trained and experienced contractors.
Reduced Energy Bills
Low-income households face higher energy costs and must devote a greater percentage of their incomes to heating, cooling and appliances. Weatherization lowers those bills and reduces energy waste, saving a typical household $223 per year.
The benefits of weatherization extend beyond reduced energy costs to include reduced emissions and improved health. One study found that when the health co-benefits of weatherization are included in savings-to-investment calculations and cost-effectiveness assessments, these increases can double the value of energy efficiency programs.
For example, healthcare stakeholders are already exploring how energy intersects with social determinants of health (SDoH), such as the ability to afford heat and electric bills, which can contribute to stress and illness. But they have limited knowledge of weatherization and utility energy efficiency programs that could help. Program managers can help by educating healthcare professionals, particularly those that serve low-income patients, about weatherization and its health co-benefits.
Adding thermal insulation to the home’s structure, such as attic and wall insulation, reducing air leakage through windows and doors, and shading sun-exposed surfaces can improve comfort and reduce energy bills. In addition, the elimination of drafts and consistent indoor temperatures prevents outside pollutants and contaminants from entering, further improving health. The reduction of unnecessary airflow also decreases carbon dioxide emissions, thereby contributing to cleaner air and climate. Energy efficiency improvements also enhance a home’s resale value, increasing the marketability of a property and increasing return on investment.
Increased Home Value
Lower energy bills and more comfortable rooms are great selling features for homeowners when they’re ready to move. But they aren’t the only benefits of weatherization. Studies show that homes that are more energy efficient command higher resale values than similar houses without the insulation and air sealing improvements made during weatherization.
Buttoning up a house by sealing air leaks, adding insulation, and upgrading to more efficient windows helps reduce home heating costs and makes the residence more comfortable for its residents. This increases a homeowner’s overall equity in the home and makes it more attractive to potential buyers.
The biggest savings often come from reducing energy waste and eliminating air leaks around windows and doors. This is why it’s critical to do a thorough energy audit to determine the best areas of improvement. The results of the audit can guide a home owner in determining which weatherization measures to prioritize.
Some home owners decide to make a full-scale upgrade to more efficient windows and heating systems. However, others choose to limit their weatherization efforts to a few of the most cost-effective and proven upgrades. For example, many of our customers choose to upgrade their windows to double or triple pane glass with low-emissivity coatings, and a smart thermostat that can automatically turn down the heat when residents are away or asleep. Increasing the efficiency of these and other home systems can significantly cut fuel use and greenhouse emissions.
Better Health
A well-weatherized home provides a protective barrier against cold, dry winter air and hot, humid summer air. It also helps protect against the intrusion of noise, odors and outdoor pollution. This can help people with health problems like asthma, hypertension and allergies. Studies of households receiving weatherization services show improved health outcomes including reduced frequency and severity of health-related visits. Families save money on energy bills and medical costs allowing them to afford other things they need.
Many working class Americans don’t know about the benefits of weatherization, largely because of poor marketing. Healthcare workers could use their access to customers to make sure they know about utility programs that can help them pay their bills, and connect them with weatherization and EE programs.
Asthma is a serious and often life-threatening illness that can be triggered by a variety of factors including inadequate indoor ventilation, leaky homes, cold, dusty spaces, mold, radon and outdoor pollutants. Across multiple national evaluations, households with children that received weatherization have reported a reduction in their need for emergency room visits for asthma. This is a great way to reduce the burden of health care on low income families and to address key social determinants of health.
Better Sleep
With energy savings and other non-energy benefits, weatherization can improve the quality of sleep for families. Providing insulation, sealing air leaks, installing energy efficient lighting and appliances like Compact Florescent Lights (CFLs) or Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs), and upgrading windows and doors are just some of the ways that home weatherization can help families get a better night’s sleep.
National evaluations of weatherization programs have documented that participants are more likely to report sleeping well, with the number of nights with disrupted sleep decreasing by 44% post-weatherization. A good night’s sleep means families can work and function more effectively the next day, leading to greater productivity at work and school.
A study by a contractor for Oak Ridge National Laboratory was widely reported in the New York Times and other outlets yesterday. The story criticizes the DOE’s approach to measuring and monetizing non-energy benefits of home weatherization, in particular its use of a technique called “difference-in-difference.” The difference-in-difference method fails to account for changes over time that cannot be attributed to weatherization (like increased hospital visits or missing work due to illness). Slipstream is currently collecting sleep cycle measurements and multiple surveys as part of a larger research effort that will also include indoor environmental parameters, health, and financial worry.