Home weatherizing offered through FiveCAP

Home weatherizing offered through FiveCAP

SCOTTVILLE — FiveCAP, Inc., is accepting applications for home weatherizing. Low-income households all too often can have added expenses if their homes are not energy-efficient.  Weatherizing homes resolves these issues, ultimately cutting down on utility costs. 

Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, there are no costs for weatherizing households at or below the 200 percent federal poverty level, and is available to home owners and rental units in Mason County, where this service is offered year-round. 

An energy auditor will conduct an assessment for eligible households, and a determination is then made of what services will provide the maximum amount of energy savings.

One of the great advantages of the program is a focus on proper venting and implementing clean, fresh air quality, in addition to calculating the efficiency of mechanical appliances and making sure smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors are properly installed. Appliances such as heating systems, water heaters and stoves are assessed for proper combustion, as well as proper venting of clothes dryers and exhaust from bath/kitchen fans. 

Services also include Insulation in attics and throughout the home, and air sealing (caulking, weather-stripping, and sealing holes and cracks) is implemented where needed. Potentially,  windows and doors are replaced. Home owners also may qualify for major home repair, such as replacement of water heaters, furnaces and refrigerators, as well as roof repair, if necessary to preserve or install insulation.  

To detect air leaks in the home, the program utilizes infrared scans, and conducts a blower door test to measure air-tightness in buildings and physically locate air-leakage sites so the problematic areas can be remedied.  

Applicants are required to provide proof of ownership (deed or title), land contract, or landlord agreement; documents for prior three months of income for all members of the household over age 18; full name, date of birth, and social security number for each household member; receipt of current paid property taxes, which cannot be in arrears or delinquent; and most recent electric and heat bills with account numbers. 

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Mason County FiveCAP at 231-757-3785.

Please consider helping to fund local news. Mason County Press and Oceana County Press are available for free thanks to the generous support of our advertisers and individuals who support our service. Click on the PayPal donation button located on the top right of our website. 

This story is copyrighted © 2021, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.

As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.