Weatherization Assistance Program(WAP)
Name of the Program:
Weatherization Assistance Program
Counties Served:
Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson, Jefferson, Marshall, St. Clair, and Etowah Counties
Program Description:
The Weatherization Assistance Program is a grant made available to low-income families within our program area. The grant is designed to lower the energy usage of a client’s home and improve the applicants’ health and safety by tightening up their homes and preventing outside air infiltration. These measures will also reduce the applicants’ monthly energy bills, promoting the family toward self-sufficiency and an improved quality of life. The Department of Energy and Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs determines the number of houses that can be weatherized in each county covered by the grant. Weatherization measures that can be completed include: air sealing/infiltration reduction, attic insulation, dense-pack sidewall insulation, duct insulation, floor insulation, general energy saving measures, heater repairs or replacement when applicable, and other health and safety measures.
Application and Acceptance Process:
Interested applications should schedule an appointment at their county’s office by calling 1-833-979-1577 and bring the required documents listed below. An application will be completed during the applicant’s appointment time. The application is then placed on the Weatherization Assistance Program waiting list where it will be sorted and ranked among other applicants based on the application’s priority points determined and required by the grantor. These points are assigned based on demographic information in the application. Due to the application’s priority points and the limited number of houses provided by the grant, it is difficult to determine how long a person may be on the waiting list. When the applicant’s home has been selected from the waiting list, the applicant will be contacted by an assessor to set a time for the applicant’s home to be assessed. If a home passes the assessment, it is then entered into an energy auditing software that calculates the highest amount of cost saving measures that can be performed on a home. Once the measures are determined, qualified weatherization contractors are contracted to bid on the job measures and perform the energy upgrades. Once the weatherization work has been completed, the work will be inspected by a Quality Control Inspector to ensure completeness. It is important to note that the goal of the Weatherization Assistance Program is not to address aesthetic aspects of a home but to strategically address mechanical, building shell, baseload, and health & safety measures to make a home more energy efficient.
Required Documents:
Recent utility bill in the applicants name
Utility consumption survey approval form (to be completed at a time of appointment)
Proof of home ownership: copy of deed, copy of mortgage, payment book, real estate tax bill, statement from local tax assessor’s office, mobile home bill of sale, documentation of land grants, life tenancy, of life lease. If renting the dwelling, a lease and landlord acknowledgement are required.
Social Security Card: Required for all members of the household. Copies will NOT be accepted.
Picture ID: Driver’s license or any other official picture ID.
Current Income Verification: Any document verifying your income from the previous month (letter from Social Security Office, paystubs from the previous month, letter from the VA, or you can fill out a Declaration of Household Income Form (At the time of appointment)