Spotlight on Energy Efficiency

Welcome

In this blog we’ll be working to provide the community with up to date information about home improvement, tips for elderly and disabled homeowners and renters, and information on some of the low-income assistance programs provided to Riverside County residents by state and local governments. This week the spotlight is on energy efficiency, weatherization, and the public assistance programs that may be available to low income residents.

Spotlight on Energy

For most homeowners, utility costs are a major component of the total cost of living. In the Inland Empire in particular, the cost of air-condition can be significant. For low income families, residents with injuries or disabilities, and the elderly, energy related utilities can absorb a substantial portion of their monthly income. Weatherizing a home, changing wasteful usage habits, and repairing or replacing older appliances can have a substantial impact on utility costs; shaving as much as 20% off a typical monthly energy bill. Here are some specific tips:

Many older homes bleed a lot of heat. Cracks around a door, poor quality or missing insulation, and older single-pane windows all allow for dramatic heat exchange between the inside and outside of a home. This essentially means that these homes will be hard to keep cool and even harder to heat; which translates to high utility bills year round. Fortunately, these are often easy issues to address and the cost of fixing these types of problems is typically more than repaid through the substantial long-term energy savings that result.

Appliances like refrigerators, deep freezers, and water heaters are always running, and others like washing machines and dishwashers are used frequently. The resources consumed by these machines are much higher than most people realize. While many newer appliances are designed with energy efficiency in mind, even the most efficient machines have to be kept in good repair. Dust clogged vents or cooling grills on the back of refrigerators and freezers, blocked dryer vents, and damaged door seals all reduced the operating efficiency of an appliance, increasing usage costs significantly.

Public Assistance

While the up-front costs of making major appliance purchases or home improvements are often prohibitive, public assistance programs do exists for eligible low-income and elderly residents. In Riverside County help is available through the Community Action Partnership. The partnership receives grant money from the State and Federal governments with which to offer no-cost energy education and home improvements, and temporary utility bill assistance to eligible residents. Low income, elderly, or disabled residents are encouraged to apply for assistance through this program.

For more information about available public assistance for energy conservation please visit the Community Action Partnership website directly.

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