By the Numbers: Weatherization Assistance Program is working, says Energy Dept.

Consumer Reports News: February 23, 2010 05:18 PM

124,000

Number of homes weatherized through $4.8 billion Weatherization Assistance Program, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Late last week, the Energy Department scrambled to respond to news reports, including these from ABC News and the Los Angeles Times, that the program had weatherized less than 10,000 homes, spending only $522 million of the allocated funds.

The DOE says that by the end of 2009 the program had weatherized 124,000 homes, with a total of 250,000 homes to be completed by the end of this year and 593,000 homes buttoned up by March 2012. New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin accounted for about a quarter of all homes weatherized so far through the program.

Energy Department spokeswoman Christina Kielich says that relaxing the income-qualification limits will expand the number of households that can take advantage of the weatherization program. Households that earn 200 percent of the federal poverty level can now qualify for weatherization assistance, up from 100 percent.

"Weatherization is a good way, along with current rebates for inefficient appliances, to save energy; it's not like you're sacrificing comfort to save energy," says Kielich. "We go in and find out where your home is wasting energy. Many times it's places you wouldn't expect, like the openings for your outlets as well as through windows and doors."

—Gian Trotta

Essential information: Weatherize your own home with these Weekend Projects on attic insulation, caulking, and insulating water pipes. Also, check out these ways to cut your energy costs and visit our Energy Saving & Green Living guide. If you're considering buying a space heater to keep warm this winter, read our reviews of the Heat Surge Roll-n-Glow Electric Fireplace, aka the Amish heater, and the EdenPure Gen 3 Model 1000 space heater.

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By the Numbers: Weatherization Assistance Program is working, says Energy Dept.

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