A drafty window might not seem like a big deal until winter comes and so does the heating bill. That was the reality for hundreds of low-income families across Georgia in 2008, whose homes lost warm air through old windows, thin walls, and aging furnaces every single month. During that year, the state’s weatherization program insulated and fixed older heating systems and sealed drafty windows in 832 of these residences. These improvements were part of the Weatherization Assistance Program, which has been around since 1976. At that time, a Department of Energy fact sheet on Georgia's weatherization program found that low-income families generally reduced their energy consumption by about 35 percent and saved an average of $437 annually on their utility bills. For families with a tight budget, that might not be a small change. Nationally, the program works through a network of roughly 700 local organizations that offer the same energy improvements for income-eligible families in all states.
A modest budget, a meaningful result
