By Patricia Breakey
Winter Home Heating Tune-Up Kits that may help area residents save up to $200 during the winter heating season are available free through the Delaware County Electric Cooperative and Delaware Opportunities.
Beginning immediately, DCEC and Delaware Opportunities will be distributing the kits to eligible residents of Delaware, Otsego, Chenango and Schoharie counties, Greg Starheim, DCEC general manager, said Friday.
The kits contain a variety of home energy-efficiency products, including compact florescent lights, window calking, weather stripping, draft dodgers and other items that are all packed in a blue tote.
"They are really pretty cool," Starheim said. "A typical homeowner can easily install everything with no problem."
DCEC and DO have 4,000 kits available and thus far have only distributed about 200 kits, Starheim said.
"Several people who have received kits said they are really helping and are easy to use," Starheim added.
Starheim said the home heating kits are provided with funding allocated from a program Gov. David Paterson created that is being handled by the New York Power Authority and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance through municipal nonprofit programs.
To receive a free kit, residents must complete a simple form verifying their eligibility based on their household income and the number of residents that reside in the household.
"People just need to sign a form," Starheim said. "We aren't asking for a lot of information, we just want to give them away."
Starheim said a general rule is that anyone that qualifies for HEAP can get a kit.
The kits are available to DCEC and NYSEG customers.
"We are very pleased to be working in conjunction with the Delaware County Electric Cooperative, and we are already getting a lot of requests," John Eberhard, Delaware Opportunities executive director said Friday. "These kits are also great for anyone who is on our weatherization program waiting list."
Eberhard said if someone is someone is eligible but does not have a way of coming into either the Delaware Opportunities or DCEC offices, they should call and a delivery of the kits to their homes can be arranged.
For information, call DCEC at 607-746-9281 or Delaware Opportunities at 607-746-1600.
