Weatherizing Your Home: A Program to Help Lower Energy Costs and Increase Comfort

Julian Gonzalez is crouched outside a weathered blue house, taping off the exterior in preparation for insulating the walls. He wears a gray long-sleeve shirt, jeans, and a gray cap, focusing intently on his work. The ground around him is covered in dry grass, scattered leaves, and a white plastic sheet. Tools and materials, including a red extension cord and tape, are visible nearby. A window and additional siding of the house are in the background.
Julian Gonzalez, taping off the exterior of a home before insulating the walls. | Credit: Dennis Schroeder / NREL

As winter approaches, many Tennesseans worry about keeping their homes warm while managing high energy bills. Tennessee’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) can help make homes more energy efficient, particularly for people with disabilities, older adults, and families with limited incomes. The program is offered through a network of local agencies.

"Making improvements for low-income families that don't have the financial capacity to do this in their own home - that's what drew me to this work," says Patricia Shumake, Weatherization Program Manager for the City of Memphis. "We can come in and bring the improvements to them, and they can feel the benefits of living in a more comfortable space by improving their air quality and reducing their energy bills."

What Does Weatherization Include?

Weatherization helps reduce energy costs by increasing a home’s energy efficiency.

Common weatherization measures include:

  • Insulation for attics, walls, floors, and water heaters
  • Air sealing to close gaps and holes
  • Ventilation improvements
  • Upgrades to heating and cooling systems

"In Memphis, we have a lot of old housing stock," Shumake explains. "When these homes were built, they weren't built under the same goals we might have nowadays, where contractors are incentivized to build in an eco-friendly way. Our work helps address those efficiency gaps."

Health and Safety Benefits

Weatherization fixes can help with many home problems that affect your health, like:

  • Radon gas
  • Poor air quality
  • Mold
  • Air leaks

These fixes are especially important during very hot and cold weather. They help keep homes at safe temperatures to protect older adults and others who are sensitive to extreme weather. The fixes can also make homes better able to handle severe weather conditions.

A weatherization technician demonstrates an infrared camera to a homeowner, pointing out an insulation defect. The technician, wearing a navy work shirt with a name tag, holds the camera up against a beige wall, focusing on the screen. The homeowner, a light-skinned woman with short hair and glasses, looks attentively at the device. Behind them, framed artwork hangs on the wall, and a thermostat is visible near the camera.
A weatherization technician shows a homeowner an insulation defect identified while using an infrared camera. | Credit: Energy Resource Center

Making a Difference

One recent success story stands out. The Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency (UETHDA) helped a homeowner who is blind improve the comfort and efficiency of her double-wide mobile home. The work included installing a heat pump, but a standard thermostat was not suitable due to her visual impairment.

After researching potential solutions, the team installed a Bluetooth-enabled thermostat that could be controlled using voice commands on her phone. This allowed her to easily manage the temperature in her home, something that had been a significant challenge before. She was thrilled with the new setup, as it restored her ability to control her environment.

A few months later, after a power outage caused a breaker to trip, the agency returned to help her. During their conversation, she shared that her energy bills had dramatically decreased—from over $300 before the weatherization work to no more than $150 in the year since.

Another example involved a wheelchair user who was dealing with multiple health challenges, including frequent hospitalizations. Patricia shares, "He had a certain health issue that left him very, very cold all the time. He was literally using a blow dryer to warm his body up. This was around Christmas, winter time, really cold. After we left, he didn't have to use the blow dryer anymore. He was much more comfortable in the home, and his energy bill had reduced by a couple hundred dollars compared to the year prior."

Another impactful story comes from Jo Madding, Assistant Director of Client Services and Administration at CAC Housing & Energy Services; a disabled homeowner in Roane County, living alone on a fixed SSDI income, received vital support through the Weatherization Readiness Fund (WRF) and weatherization program. The WRF provided floor repairs and electrical upgrades, making the home eligible for comprehensive weatherization measures. These included water heater tank and floor insulation, duct sealing, air sealing, bath fan and dryer venting, a vapor barrier, HVAC system installation, pressure relief piping, and smoke and CO detectors. These improvements significantly enhanced the home's safety, comfort, and energy efficiency.

Q&A with Patricia Shumake

Breaking Ground: How does the program prioritize who receives services?

Patricia Shumake: We try to prioritize vulnerable populations, looking at age like elderly and children under five, any household members that have disabilities. We also look at their energy usage - if they spend over a certain amount, we would place priority points on how much they're spending.

BG: What's the most rewarding part of this work?

PS: Getting to talk to the clients is my favorite. I always want to know - how has it been throughout this process? Have you noticed any changes in your home? Have you noticed that it's a little easier to breathe? We're spending like 90% of our lives nowadays in an indoor environment...so it's important that we have proper ventilation.

BG: What's most important for people to know before applying?

PS: This is not a home repair or rehabilitation program. Its primary focus is still energy efficiency...I think that would be the main message I want those that are interested to know. They may need to apply for a rehab program first, and once their home is structurally sound, they can then be referred to weatherization.

Important Things to Know Before Applying

The program prioritizes households that include:

·         People with disabilities

·         Older adults

·         Young children

·         People who spend a large portion of their income on energy bills

However, Shumake emphasizes an important point for potential applicants: "This is not a home repair program - its primary focus is energy efficiency. We often find that homes need certain repairs before we can do weatherization work." In Memphis, for example, about 60% of homes need other repairs before they can receive weatherization services.

Multiple Programs May Be Available

You may be eligible for help from multiple energy efficiency programs. "It would not disqualify you if you had been through TVA's Home Uplift program," Shumake notes. "Even if you've been through that program, you can still apply to our program.”

You may be eligible for help from multiple programs. In Memphis, residents can access:

·         The federal Weatherization Assistance Program

·         TVA's Home Uplift program

·         Local utility company programs

Check with your local agencies to learn what's available in your area.

The Application Process

Applications are typically 4-5 pages and can usually be completed either on paper or electronically. The program must respond within 90 days about approval. Once approved, you'll be placed on a waiting list.

Find your local agency

You can visit https://thda.org/help-for-homeowners/energy-assistance-programs/weatherization-assistance-program [make live link for digital and include QR code in print] to find the agency that serves your county. These agencies handle applications and provide the weatherization services.

Get and fill out an application

Then, you can request an application from your local agency by mail, email, or in person. You'll need to provide information about your income and household. The agency staff can help you fill out the form if you need help.

Many offices allow applications to be submitted by email or filled out online, but not all. If you cannot visit their office due to age or disability, let them know – by law, they must give you another way to apply.

Special note for apartment residents:

If you live in an apartment building, all residents need to apply together. You can talk to your building manager or local agency about how to coordinate applications.

: A weatherization crew member from the Energy Resource Center works in a garage, cutting a piece of insulated ducting wrapped in gray plastic with pink insulation exposed at the end. The worker is wearing a white protective suit, gloves, and safety glasses, focusing intently on the task. Tools and supplies, including hoses, buckets, and a ladder, are visible in the background, along with large windows letting in natural light.
A weatherization crew member from the Energy Resource Center cuts a piece of insulated ducting for a new exhaust fan. | Credit: Werner Slocum / NREL

What happens after you apply?

The agency will review your application and contact you if they need more information.

"When their name reaches the top of the list, our energy auditor visits their home to conduct an energy audit," Shumake explains. "That takes a look at how much energy the home is currently using, the condition of their appliances, what kind of improvements we could make to increase the efficiency of the home."

Most weatherization work can be completed while you remain in your home. The average investment in improvements is about $16,000 per home in Memphis, funded through Department of Energy grants and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Simple Steps Anyone Can Take

While waiting for weatherization assistance, Shumake suggests some immediate steps anyone can take:

"Weather stripping your door - that's the main way that air gets in and out. If you just even have that bottom layer to kind of block some of the air from coming in, that can help a lot with your comfort."

She also recommends: "Having your computer, your laptop, or maybe your TV on a power strip and then turning it off for the night. That power's still being drained even when devices aren't in use, so there's small things you can do to save energy."

For More Information

To learn more about weatherization assistance in your area, contact your local Tennessee Housing Development Agency. A map and contact information for the agencies is available on the TN Housing and Development Authority’s website.  You can also find information about additional resources through Tennessee Disability Pathfinder by calling 1-800-640-4636.

An HVAC technician works on preparing a gas fitting during the replacement of a furnace in a manufactured home. He wears an orange Denver Broncos cap, a gray long-sleeve shirt with an energy services logo, and focuses intently on his task. Green wires and a metal fitting are visible on the equipment he is working on, alongside a container of sealant. In the background, a manufactured home with a small porch and steps is visible, along with bare trees under a clear blue sky.
An HVAC technician prepares a gas fitting during a manufactured home furnace replacement. | Credit: Energy Resource Center