Program Description
Low-income families and individuals typically spend a higher percentage of their annual income for energy to heat, cool, and run appliances in their homes. The Weatherization Assistance Program was established to help low-income families and individuals decrease their home energy costs and to be attentive to energy-related health and safety issues in the home. The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provide funding for the Weatherization Program.

What’s Done?

Adding thermal insulation to the residential building envelope, most typically attic insulation.

Shading sun-exposed windows, primarily for houses using central refrigeration cooling.

Implementing air leak control measures to reduce excessive infiltration of outside air.

Testing, tuning and maintaining heating and cooling equipment.

Reducing duct leakage where heating and central refrigerated air is distributed by a forced air system.

Installing low-flow showerheads and other general energy and water efficiency measures.

Other energy conservation improvements as identified by the home energy auditor.

Arizona’s Program
The Arizona Department of Commerce Energy Office is the managing agency for the Weatherization Assistance Program. More than 24,000 of Arizona’s low-income households have been provided with weatherization assistance services since the program’s inception in 1977. The Energy Office contracts with ten subgrantee organizations to install weatherization improvements. Weatherization subgrantee organizations are trained by the Energy Office in the use of sophisticated residential energy diagnostic techniques and computerized energy audit programs that allow technicians to analyze potentially cost-effective energy savings investments.

Info from Dept. of Commerce: http://www.azcommerce.com/Energy/Low-Income+Weatherization+Assistance+Program.htm