For years, Trecia Sarte struggled to keep her Pasco home warm during the winter.
Her manufactured home, built in 1967, had no insulation under the floor, and there were several broken windows and doors that would not stay closed. The central gas furnace was nearly five decades old and no longer worked. Without reliable heat, Trecia had been using window and wall-mounted air conditioners and space heaters to heat her home. After losing her job because of health issues, high energy bills became an added burden. She stayed with family members during the cold months because she could not keep her home warm enough.
Then help arrived through Washington’s Weatherization Program.
Through the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Weatherization Program, Benton Franklin Community Action Connections (BFCAC) performed an energy assessment on Trecia’s home and identified improvements that could make it safer, more energy efficient and comfortable. BFCAC provides free assistance to income-qualified families and individuals in Benton and Franklin counties, including weatherization and energy assistance.
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“Fixing the heater, replacing the door and windows, installing a new light in the bathroom, and putting a fan in the kitchen have made such a huge difference. Because of your hard work, my home is now safer, warmer, and much more comfortable.” – Trecia Sarte, homeowner
Following an energy audit, Commerce provided $11,665 for improvements to Sarte’s home, including:
- New insulation under the floor
- Six double-pane vinyl windows
- Two exterior doors with deadbolts and weatherstripping
- A new exterior electrical outlet
- A wall-mounted kitchen ventilation fan
- A carbon monoxide detector
- A new whole-house fan in the bathroom
Funding also supported combustion safety testing of the furnace, water heater and stove. BFCAC made improvements to the existing dryer vent and repaired the crawl space access.
Cascade Natural Gas Conservation Program contributed an additional $15,768 to replace the heating system with a new high-efficiency gas furnace.
Together, the improvements transformed a home that had been difficult to keep warm into a safer, more comfortable place to live. Weatherization makes a difference.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to your entire team for the incredible help you gave me,” Sarte said.
“It’s always a good feeling knowing that we made a difference in this family’s life.” – John Kays, energy auditor
For Kays, projects like Trecia’s demonstrate the impact weatherization can have beyond energy savings. “These are the types of homes and stories that make this job very rewarding,” Kays said.
