Credit: Severin Demchuk / Unsplash.com
For limited-income and fixed-income homeowners in Bucks County, the cold reality of high energy bills often means making difficult choices between heating their homes and paying for other necessities. But a longstanding program run by the Bucks County Opportunity Council is providing a shield against the biting costs and transforming houses to be more energy efficient.
Last year alone, Bucks County Opportunity Council’s weatherization program assisted 358 county households and delivered an average annual energy savings of $372 per homeowner.
Beyond the financial relief, the program simultaneously tackles home safety and energy efficiency, helping residents move toward greater self-sufficiency.
Joseph Cuozzo, the Bucks County Opportunity Council’s director of development, showcased the program’s impact before the Bucks County Commissioners last week.
“Weatherization alleviates the heavy energy burden on low-income households, helps them become self sufficient,” Cuozzo said. “It reduces household annual gas and heating consumption by 32 percent and improves health and safety by eliminating energy-related hazards.”
The weatherization program targets households facing heavy energy bills relative to their income.
By facilitating home repairs and energy conservation projects—such as insulation and air sealing—it directly reduces utility costs.
Cuozzo said the investment in weatherization offers a strong return.
The program, which operates as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s national weatherization program, returns $1.65 in energy-related benefits for every dollar invested. It also supports local jobs and small businesses in the process, according to Cuozzo.
For residents with limited means, the weatherization program offers a lifeline they could not access otherwise.
Cuozzo shared the story of Doug, a disabled Bucks County homeowner whose only income is from Social Security and Medicare.
Despite Doug’s best efforts—weather-stripping doors and windows, carefully monitoring his furnace—the Bucks Countians’shome remained very cold during the winter.
“My finances are very limited and my Social Security payments barely cover my mortgage and other bills,” Doug told the Bucks County Opportunity Council. “It would have not been possible for me to pay for these improvements myself. And I’m very grateful for the work that I received.”
A Bucks County Opportunity Council weatherization contractor worked to determine the best ways to make his home more energy efficient. He also maintaining contact with Doug even while he was hospitalized to ensure the work was completed.
“I would like to thank Bucks County Opportunity Council for their assistance to me and my home. I am very thankful for the blessings I’ve received,” Doug said.
This year, the Bucks County Opportunity Council is celebrating its 60th anniversary, with the weatherization program representing just one of the hundreds of households the organization assists each year.
For more information on the Bucks County Opportunity Council’s weatherization program, visit the group’s website.
The weatherization effort is different from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides funding and fuel for heating during colder months with assistance from the Bucks County Opportunity Council.
