Governor deems Friday statewide "Weatherization Day."
By Brad Soroka
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 11:33 a.m.
Read more: Local, State, Economy, Business, Community, Consumer, AMCAB, Weatherization Day, Michigan, Granholm, Governor, October 30, Insulation, Windows, Fridge
ISHPEMING -- Saving money and conserving energy are two top priorities for many of us. Weatherizing your home can accomplish both.
Governor Granholm deemed Friday "Michigan Weatherization Day."
But what is it about weatherization that's so important?
"It's necessary for a simple reason: we need to conserve energy," said Joe Priante, Housing Director for the Alger Marquette Community Action Board, also known as AMCAB.
According to the folks at AMCAB, weatherizing your home can cut your energy consumption and, therefore, your energy bill by 20-25 percent. That's one of the main reasons they offer the service.
"This service is provided at no cost to the home owner, and our average cost-per-home is about $4,200," Priante said.
The $5.2 billion in stimulus money has been made available for national weatherization programs. Here in the U.P., AMCAB received $3.2 million to weatherize Marquette and Alger County homes.
"All work that we do on a home is based on the initial energy audit that we perform. And that audit tells us exactly what to do, in what order, based on a savings-to-investment ratio," Priante stated.
Insulating walls, weather-stripping doors and windows, and replacing windows top the list of energy and money saving techniques. Whether you're relying on AMCAB to weatherize your home or you're planning to do it yourself...
"Get the work done as soon as possible because that's all that much more money that you are going to save due to the energy conservation techniques that you apply to the home," Priante added.
Over the next two-and-a-half years, the folks from AMCAB will weatherize over 600 homes in Marquette and Alger counties. You do need to qualify to take advantage of AMCAB's Home Weatherization Service. Head to their Web site, www.BeWiseWeatherize.com to apply.
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12:30 p.m., Story is coming together
Joe Priante, Housing Director for the Alger Marquette Community Action Board (AMCAB), offers this, as to why weatherization is so important:
"It's necessary for a simple reason. We need to conserve energy."
Insulating walls, replacing windows and weather-stripping doors top the list of money-saving, weatherizing techniques.
More money-saving methods tonight after baseball on FOX UP.
Brad
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11:00 a.m., Newsroom
October 30 is Michigan Weatherization Day, deemed by Governor Granholm.
I spent the morning with a weatherizing crew from AMCAB, learning the ins-and-outs of the craft.
Check back for updates here at uppermichiganssource.com.
The full story on your FOX UP News.
Brad
