States are getting a boost in federal money to weatherize drafty homes, an increase so large it has set off a scramble to find workers and houses for them to repair.
An obscure program that installs insulation in homes and makes them more energy efficient is distributing $4.7 billion in stimulus funds.
That is enough to weatherize 1 million homes each year.
President Obama said pouring money into the program would lower utility bills for cash strapped families, provide jobs for construction workers idled by the housing slump and make the nation more energy efficient.
The program helps low-income families take steps to reduce their home energy expenses, from caulking leaky windows to replacing heating and cooling systems. The Energy Department says 6.2 million households have benefited since it began in 1976, saving the average household about $350 a year in energy bills.
In many states, qualified homeowners are already on waiting list. But some states do not have enough recipients signed up.
To help find them, states are updating Web sites about the expanded program and working with non-profit groups, churches and the news media to get the word out.
Go to: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/about.cfm
Check out your states program by clicking on the map.
Phil
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