Old, cold, and drafty: “Weatherize” offers energy saving solutions

An audible groan came from the audience at the Jan. 25 Weatherize Upper Valley gathering as Paige Heverly, the presenter from Vital Communities, showed a picture of an 1850s era farmhouse festooned with eight-foot icicles.


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Old, cold, and drafty: “Weatherize” offers energy saving solutions BY KAREN ENGDAHL, The Shopper January 29, 2018 SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – An audible groan came from the audience at the Jan. 25 Weatherize Upper Valley gathering as Paige Heverly, the presenter from Vital Communities, showed a picture of an 1850s era farmhouse festooned with eight-foot icicles. weatherize Paige Heverly, Vital Communities representative, and Char Osterlund, community volunteer. Photo by Karen Engdahl “Here’s a wintertime problem many of you have experienced: ice dams!” she said. “Vermont has the second-oldest housing stock in the country, and most of these older homes are in need of weatherization to make them more comfortable and energy-efficient.” Explaining the basic physics of heat loss in older homes, Heverly described problems many in the audience knew all too well from personal experience. “This winter has been the perfect advertisement for why we need to weatherize our homes,” said Heverly, as she listed services available through the Vital Communities Weatherize Upper Valley program. Heverly explained that most weatherization projects brokered by the organization focus on air sealing and insulation, typically the two most cost effective ways to reduce drafts, increase comfort, and reduce energy costs. weatherize Willie Hargrove of Springfield browses Weatherize Upper Valley handouts. Photo by Karen Engdahl. “Efficiency Vermont may provide up to $2,500 in incentives,” she said, “and there are many energy efficiency financing options with discounted rates available for low and middle income homeowners.” Heverly encouraged participants to sign up for free professional consults and home visits from a qualified local contractor. Local Vital Communities volunteers, she explained, would check in periodically to help homeowners through the process. Vital Communities, a non-profit organization based in White River Junction, partners community volunteer teams with local contractors to help weatherize participants complete cost-effective home energy improvements. Local volunteers Char Osterlund, Melissa Mackenzie, Hallie Whitcomb, and others were present at the gathering to answer questions and encourage participants. Representatives from partner contractors WARM VT, Vermont Foam Insulation, and Farnum Insulators were also on hand to answer questions. For more information about Weatherize Upper Valley, check out their website at www.VitalCommunities.org/Weatherize or contact local volunteer Char Osterlund at 802-885-5115 or charmf@vermontel.net.