MCCAC's Weatherization program is funded by several grants including the Department of Energy (DOE), the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Pacific Power (ECHO) and Northwest Natural Gas (OLIEE).
In order to qualify for the Weatherization program the applicant must first qualify for MCCAC's Energy Assistance Program. The income requirements are 60% of the State Median Income Levels, as shown on the chart below:
Income levels for Weatherization
|
Household Size
|
Annual Income
|
Monthly Income
|
|
1
|
$ 22,493
|
$ 1,874
|
|
2
|
$ 29,414
|
$ 2,451
|
|
3
|
$ 36,335
|
$ 3,028
|
|
4
|
$ 43,256
|
$ 3,604
|
|
5
|
$ 50,177
|
$ 4,181
|
|
6
|
$ 57,098
|
$ 4,758
|
|
7
|
$ 58,396
|
$ 4,866
|
|
8
|
$ 59,693
|
$ 4,974
|
|
9
|
$ 60,991
|
$ 5,082
|
|
10
|
$ 62,289
|
$ 5,190
|
|
11
|
$ 63,586
|
$ 5,299
|
|
12
|
$ 64,844
|
$ 5,407
|
|
Each additional member add
|
$ 1,298
|
$ 108
|
Once the applicant has qualified, their name is placed on a waiting list. People on the waiting list are awarded bonus points for disabilities, age, time on the waiting list or other characteristics which may be required or favored by the grants we have available to pay for the work.
All weatherization work is paid for with these grants money. We do not bill our clients for the weatherization work done on their homes.
When the applicant's name comes to the top of the waiting list an energy audit is performed on the home. The energy audit consists of a thorough inspection of the home from top to bottom. The auditor looks in the attic, under the floors and inside the walls to determine whether or not insulation can be added to improve the energy efficiency of the home.
The auditor also performs a blower door test to determine the amount and location of air leaks in the home. In order to run this test the client must leave all wood stoves and other fuel burning appliances off during the test. The blower door works by discharging the air from the house, this reduces the pressure inside the house so that the greater pressure outside will push air through the cracks and holes into the house.
The auditor uses the data collected by the inspection and the blower door test to determine what measures should be undertaken to save the most energy. All the data collected by the auditor is entered into a computerized audit program that determines which weatherization measures can be taken based on a Savings-to-Investment ratio. In other words, if the savings of the weatherization measures will be enough to pay for the cost of the improvement in less than 10 years the measure is approved. If the measure does not save enough in energy costs to pay for the improvement, it is not be approved by the computer program and cannot be paid for by the grants.
The data is then used to generate a Bid Request which is given to the contractor(s). The contractors bid on the jobs that need to be done. The bids are compared to each other and to the list of measures of the home and to the list of eligible measures allowed by the grants.
In some cases the weatherization audit may allow us to replace one or all of the windows in the home. It may also allow us to install storm windows, or it may simply allow us to replace broken panes in windows.
Being on the weatherization list does not guarantee the client will get new windows. The grant requirements coupled with the computerized audit will determine what weatherization measures can be done to the client's home.
For more information contact markm@mccac.com