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It’s that time of year when temperatures drop and energy bills go up. If you are a low-income individual or family that will struggle to pay bills, now is the time to look into programs that offer assistance.
One is the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Qualified applicants for LIHEAP can get a thousand dollars to put towards heating costs, said Lawrence Berringer, executive director for the Berks Community Action Program.
Those who qualify also get signed up for “crisis assistance” that helps fund the maintenance of their heating units, Berringer said.
First, though, you need to qualify, and that’s based on income.
“One person would be $21,870 — would be the income. They can’t exceed that,” said Berringer. “For a family of four, they cannot exceed $45,000.”
To apply, homeowners and renters should visit their local county assistance office or the state COMPASS site.
For those who are not under the income threshold, there is another option. The Berks Community Action Program offers a weatherization assistance program.
“For weatherization, what they can do is call us directly. We can make an appointment for them,” said Berringer.
They will then start the application process. For those who qualify, an energy auditor will detect where their homes are losing heat and wasting energy.
“You don’t want your heat leaking through leaky windows,” Berringer said. “You don’t want your heat leaking through doorways that aren’t insulated.”
Any problems detected will most likely be fixed at no cost to the homeowner.
Berringer said seniors really benefit from this program, as many have been in their homes for years and are on a fixed income.
He said anyone who thinks they qualify for these programs should apply now before heating their homes this season becomes a problem.
The assistance runs from November through the beginning of April.
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