More time indoors makes Button Up Vermont program timely, helpful
September 26, 2020 | By Richard Weinstein
Nice fall days offer opportunities for home-improvement projects to prepare for winter. Photo by Gordon Miller.
Want to keep warm this winter? The Button Up Vermont weatherization campaign coordinated by Efficiency Vermont has plenty of resources to help insulate your home while cutting energy use and saving you money.
Button Up Vermont is a coalition of partnerships with Vermont utilities, regional planning commissions, nonprofits and weatherization agencies. Thirty-eight Vermont towns and energy committees are participating this year including Waterbury LEAP and the Stowe Energy Committee.
It may come as no surprise that we may all be spending a lot more time indoors this winter as social distancing is still recommended. Having safe, comfortable, and energy efficient homes is perhaps more important than ever, which makes weatherizing your home a great and timely idea.
Weatherization can also make your home safer by improving air flow, which can reduce the growth of harmful molds. The Button Up Vermont website has videos on a variety of helpful topics including sealing ducts, smart thermostats, sealing the home, putting in storm windows, and insulating your basement and/or attic.
Rebates are also available for various products and services as well as up to $100 cash back to cover material costs for completion of three qualifying DIY projects. Visit the Efficiency Vermont website for details.
In addition, because Waterbury is a Button Up partner town, residents may register for a free virtual home energy visit while appointments are available.
Essex Junction resident Darren Schibler worked with a weatherization contractor to install dense-packed cellulose insulation in the walls of his 70-year-old home and shared his experience with the Button Up campaign: “We’ve already noticed a difference in the comfort level of the home. There’s less of a draft, the dehumidifier runs at about half of what it normally does, and we are looking forward to saving some money on heating in the winter,” he said.
Weatherization Wednesdays
Don't miss the weekly webinar series “Weatherization Wednesdays” hosted by Button Up, featuring different weatherization topics each Wednesday at noon. These free online Zoom workshops now through November can help Vermonters determine what home weatherization strategy will work best for them and include DIY projects that can be completed in a weekend. Event updates and schedules are available at buttonupvermont.org/events.
Help for Low-Income Homeowners
The Button Up campaign also has partnered with the Vermont Community Foundation to create the Button Up Vermont Fund, to raise money to help pay for weatherization projects for low-income Vermonters.
Donations to this campaign will help with necessary home repairs or upgrades that will allow participants to benefit from free weatherization services through the Weatherization Assistance Program. Eligible projects would include vermiculite and asbestos removal, heating system repairs, and installation of high-efficiency electric heating systems such as cold-climate heat pumps.
An anonymous donor has provided a $50,000 contribution to seed the Button Up Vermont Fund and the campaign is seeking to double that amount through grassroots donations. For more information about the Button Up Vermont Fund and to contribute, visit buttonupvermont.org/fund.
As you get started, if you have questions, call 888-921-5990 for answers and advice from an Efficiency Vermont energy specialist.
Richard Weinstein is with the Stowe Energy Committee which is collaborating with Waterbury LEAP (Local Energy Action Partnership) on providing information about ongoing energy efficiency programs.