FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                            Media Contacts:

October 26, 2012                                                                  Debbie Belt, 574-6587/303- 6167

                                                                                               Phil Miller, 574-1901

 

Louisville Observes National Weatherization Day

Project Warm offers free workshops to help prepare for winter

 

LOUISVILLE, KY (October 26, 2012) -- With colder weather approaching, residents can lower their heating bills by taking steps to make sure their homes are as weatherized and energy efficient as possible. Mayor Greg Fischer is joining in the national awareness push by declaring October 30 as “Weatherization Day” in Louisville.

Louisville Metro’s Weatherization Assistance Program offers ten quick tips to help in lowering energy costs in colder weather:

1. Turn back the thermostat between 65 and 68 degrees
2. Close the fireplace damper when fireplace is not in use
3. Fill in gaps in exterior doors with weather stripping and caulking
4. Keep furniture away from vents and keep the vents vacuumed
5. Wear layers of clothing and dress warm
6. Unplug appliances not in use
7. Open shades and curtains allow the sun to help warm your house in the day and close them at night to help keep in the heat
8. Turn down water heater temperature to 120 degrees
9. Install low flow showerhead
10. Seal around and cover window air conditioners

Project Warm, which provides free weatherization education and services for low-income families in Louisville, has scheduled several free weatherization workshops around the community. Several of these workshops will be held in November at the Urban Government Center to reach out to residents seeking LIHEAP utility assistance and others who are interested. Participants in the workshops will receive free supplies and learn “do-it-yourself” weatherization tips like how to hang clear interior window covers to prevent drafts. Contact Project Warm at 502.636.9276 for workshops offered at this location and other locations.

Residents may also consider taking advantage of one of LG&E’s energy efficiency programs. Call the Energy Efficiency Program information line at 1.800.356.5467 or visit their website at www.lge-ku.com/savingenergy to explore how to save energy and money with an online or on-site home energy analysis. Qualifying applicants may be eligible for additional assistance through LG&E’s WeCare program.

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) receives most of its funding from the federal Department of Energy and is administered locally by the Louisville Metro Department of Community Services and Revitalization. The national “Weatherization Day” observance helps to highlight WAP’s successes in providing weatherization services to lower-income households which helps lower their utility costs. Since WAP began in 1976, over 5000 homes have been weatherized in Louisville and more than 7 million homes nationwide -- with senior citizens and people with disabilities as the top priority for assistance. Also notable this year is the marking of the one millionth home weatherized nationwide since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act work began in April 2009.

Families who are homeowners or renters in Louisville may be eligible for weatherization help if their income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty line which, for a family of four, is $46,100. For more information, contact 502.574.4437.

Citizens interested in learning about other energy-saving tips can visit the Weatherization Assistance Program webpage at http://www.louisvilleky.gov/CSR/Community+Services or may pick up information in the lobby of the Urban Government Center at 810 Barret Avenue.

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