Cooler Weather brings Challenges to Some Homeowners
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – With the winter months now upon us, I want to talk about an issue that some households may face during the cooler parts of the year. In addition to colder temperatures, our area's combination of humidity and high winds can be particularly grueling during this time of year, especially for those living in homes without proper insulation.
Fortunately, the State of Texas has a program to help limited income residents properly equip their homes for the winter months. This program, administered by the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs (TDHCA), is known as the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).In this article I'd like to share information about this program to help ensure the health and safety of all residents of the Coastal Bend this winter.
WAP was established with the goal of helping lower income residents live in more efficient homes through weatherization. To do this, the program provides assistance with installing weatherization-related materials and making other minor home repairs as well as providing helpful home safety tips.
By weatherizing their home, residents can lower energy costs by ensuring their homes are properly insulated. According to the TDHCA's website, the program offers the following types of services:
- Energy Audit (a review of your home's Energy Efficiency, which identifies where air leaks may be occurring, inefficient appliances, etc.)
- Installation of Weatherization Measures to increase energy efficiency of a home (structure must be able to benefit from being weatherized)
- The Weatherization Work, including:
- Caulking
- Weather-Stripping
- adding Ceiling, Wall & Floor Insulation
- Patching Holes in the building envelope
- Duct Work, and
- Tune-Up, Repair or Replacement of energy inefficient heating and cooling systems
Installation of Weatherization measures that meet specific energy-savings goals- Ensure all installation materials meet the standards meet state and federal regulations
Additionally, you can call the toll-free number from a landline at (888) 606-8889 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The toll-free number will directly connect you with the WAP service provider in your county.
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or comments regarding any of the information or legislative processes mentioned above, and don't hesitate to call my Capitol or District Offices (Capitol Office: 512-463-0672 – District Office: 361-949-4603) if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas State Agency or if you'd like help regarding Constituent Services.
If you would like to follow the Texas House of Representatives and learn more information on news, committees or other aspects of the legislative body, you can access its website at http://www.house.state.tx.us. The site features live streaming from the House Floor, Committee Hearings, as well as access to a number of other resources.
- You can also follow the Texas Senate at http://www.senate.state.tx.us
- The Texas Governor’s Official Website can be found at http://governor.state.tx.us
- If you'd like to review more about the Texas State Legislature, visit the Texas Legislature Online.
As always, we're available at any time to assist you with questions, concerns, or comments. Your ideas and information are important forms of feedback, and I hope you'll not hesitate to contact my office.State Representative Todd Hunter serves the constituents of Texas House District 32, which is composed of Aransas, Calhoun, San Patricio and part of Nueces County.
