Home insulation grants can reduce your heating and cooling costs.
Home insulation grants are often provided for those who are on a limited income. Properly insulating your home can reduce the need to consume electric or gas, thereby reducing your home heating costs. Although the costs of insulation can be high, grants can help cover the expenses of home insulation and preserve a comfortable temperature in your home. Does this Spark an idea?
Identification
Some will call a home insulation grant a weatherproofing grant, so familiarize yourself with common terminology so you are sure to receive the right information. Common places to find insulation grants include the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or LIHEAP clearinghouse, which has a weatherization assistance program. If you are retired or elderly, the local council on aging is also a good place to begin finding insulation opportunities.
Eligibility
Many agencies that provide grants for home insulation costs have requirements, such as you must own the property; receive some type of government benefits; have someone who is elderly, ill, or a child in the home; and have a specific income range.
Time Frame
Home weatherproofing or insulation grants are often considered on a rolling basis, meaning that there is no deadline, but some organizations have a strict annual deadline. Funds may run out if you don't apply early for some programs. Keep all deadlines in mind when preparing to seek a grant for insulation or weatherization.
Meeting
Some organizations may want an interview in your home, while others will just want documentation to show proof of income, ownership, and information about who lives at the property. A meeting with the organization may be required to fill out paperwork and submit any necessary documentation.
Inspection
Funding organizations may require a thorough inspection of your home to determine the best type of insulation and how much you will need. This can be a time-consuming process as they will need to evaluate your house for drafts and find where air is escaping. If you are working with a private foundation who will distribute the funds to you directly, you may be asked to contact local contractors and ask for them to come to your home for a free estimate and provide the bid to the foundation.
Statistics
According to the United States Department of Energy in 2009, since the weatherization assistance program was founded in 1976, more than 6.2 million low-income families have been served through a variety of programs. Weatherization programs are effective and often involve building repair, weatherstripping, adding storm windows or replacing existing windows, adding insulation, or repairing current heating or cooling units.
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