Wanted: Drafty, Cold Houses to Weatherize in Time for Next Winter

HANCOCK—The Houghton Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) is gearing up to weatherize dozens of houses in the coming weeks, and yours could be one of them.

A team of AmeriCorps volunteers will be arriving May 2 and staying in Houghton as guests of Grace United Methodist Church until the end of June. During the day, they will be working in the community, sealing up drafty homes and helping local residents save energy and lower their utility bills.

Under the direction of HEET energy manager Melissa Davis, the volunteers will caulk around windows, doors and other spots that leak in cold air; seal rim joists (those drafty spaces in the basement between the floor and the foundation); and make other energy-saving fixes. Some residents may even receive new, energy-efficient refrigerators at no cost.

To qualify for this free winterization program, participants must meet income guidelines, live in Houghton County and be a customer of both Upper Peninsula Power Co. and SEMCO. The annual income limits range from $23,340 for a person living alone up to $80,180 for a family of eight.

Qualifying homeowners receive the winterization for free. If you are a qualifying renter, your landlord must agree to cover the cost of materials for a winterization. However, the labor is free, and you can still receive free LED light bulbs and a refrigerator.

If you don’t meet the income guidelines for this program, HEET offers a nine-point winterization protocol you can do yourself to make your home more comfortable and lower your utility bills.

To learn more and sign up, visit newpowertour.com/winterize or contact Davis at 281-5986.

The AmeriCorps team visit is made possible by support from Grace United Methodist Church and Michigan Tech’s Student Development Complex.

The Houghton Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) is an ad hoc group of volunteers formed to help Houghton County compete for the Georgetown University Energy Prize. Approximately 50 regions nationwide are in the running for the $5 million prize, which challenges local communities to rethink their energy use and implement creative strategies to increase energy efficiency.

AmeriCorps is a civil society program supported by the U.S. government, foundations, corporations and other donors engaging adults in involved public service work with a goal of helping others and meeting critical needs in the community.