Every fall, about the time the furnace kicks on for the first time, somebody in a small Kansas town finds out the drafts around their windows can be fixed for free. This year, the program behind that work turns 50.
Gov. Laura Kelly joined the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation and community partners to celebrate 50 years of Kansas running the Weatherization Assistance Program, according to an Oct. 2 post on KHRC's news page. The federal program dates to the Energy Conservation and Production Act, which President Gerald Ford signed in 1976.
Kelly signed a proclamation naming October Energy Action Month and Oct. 30 Weatherization Day in Kansas. KHRC says Energy Action Month is meant to spread the word about the statewide program and encourage Kansans to cut energy use and save on utility bills as cold weather sets in.
What the program pays for
KHRC says weatherization lowers utility costs by improving energy efficiency while making homes healthier and safer. The work is customized for each house, but it can include:
- Weather stripping.
- Caulking around doors, windows and other air leaks.
- Repairing or replacing inefficient or dangerous furnaces.
- Adding insulation to walls, ceilings and floors.
- Lighting and ventilation upgrades.
Both renters and homeowners can qualify, and the upgrades are free to eligible households.
According to KHRC's weatherization program page, homes that qualify get a comprehensive energy audit to figure out what the house needs. From there, the work is done free of charge by the program's certified energy auditors and its network of professional crews and contractors.
The income cutoff is 200% of the federal poverty level. For a household of one, that's $25,760 a year. For a family of four, it's $53,000. For a household of eight, it's $89,320. KHRC says households receiving Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or help from the Low Income Energy Assistance Program are automatically eligible.
The money comes from several places: the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, KHRC and utility partners.
Who does the work
In Kansas, the program runs through regional Community Action partners. KHRC lists four: NEK-CAP, the Northeast Kansas Community Action Program; ECKAN; the North Central Regional Planning Commission; and the South Central Kansas Economic Development District, known as SCKEDD. KHRC calls them its partners "out in the field," the agencies that actually deliver the free upgrades to homes around the state.
KHRC also pitches the program as a jobs program, not just a utility-bill program. In a post marking the anniversary, the agency said weatherization reduces energy burden for families, improves indoor air quality and employs thousands of Americans in good-paying jobs.
Tyler Wilson, KHRC's weatherization program manager, is the contact for questions about Energy Action Month or the program in Kansas. Residents can apply through KHRC's website, and KHRC has posted overview videos in English and Spanish that walk people through how the process works.
SCKEDD said on social media that it plans to spend October explaining what weatherization is, how it works and the people behind it, and the impact the program is having in Kansas.
Fifty years in, the basics of the job are easy to picture: find the leaks, seal them, add insulation, and make sure the furnace is safe to run. KHRC's own description puts health and safety right alongside energy savings, which is why dangerous furnaces and ventilation are on the list, not just caulk and insulation.
Why it matters for Contractors
Weatherization is a source of small residential work in Kansas that runs on public and utility funding rather than on home sales. Insulation contractors, air-sealing crews, HVAC companies that can repair or swap out furnaces, and electricians who handle lighting and ventilation upgrades can all find work through the Community Action agencies that run the program. The jobs come with an energy audit up front, so the scope is laid out before a crew shows up. Expect the paperwork and documentation that come with any publicly funded program. If you're an HVAC or insulation contractor in rural Kansas looking to fill the slow months, it's worth calling the Community Action agency that covers your area and asking how it hires contractors.