Illinois Home Weatherization Program (IHWAP)
“The Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program’s (IHWAP) primary purpose is helping low-income Illinois residents save energy and money while increasing the comfort of their homes. IHWAP accomplishes this by installing weatherization measures that pay for themselves over their expected service life. IHWAP also addresses home health and safety issues where they are connected to home energy and indoor air quality. IHWAP is not a home improvement nor a home rehabilitation program. “ (IHWAP Operations Manual PY 2016, Issued Sept. 2015, pg. 6)
First step for a customer interested in IHWAP it to be placed on the application waiting list. When applications are needed, customers are called from this list to come into the office and complete an application. Once all applications slots are filled, any remaining customers will be mailed a letter explaining this, along with a new sign-up form for the new application waiting list, which resets every July. The waiting list sign up form is the PDF document at the bottom of the page or you can contact the office.
Once a customer's application is approved and it is their turn in the priority ranking, an IHWAP certified assessor will conduct an energy audit on the home to help determine the needs of the home. Areas that weatherization focuses on include: properly running and efficient heat source, attic and sidewall insulation, caulking and weather stripping existing doors and windows, and conducting a blower door test that pulls air from the interior of the home to the outside. This test allows the assessor to identify areas of air leakage, so that we may have the contractor seal up as many of those areas as possible. IHWAP is not a door or window replacement program. If a home has major structural or health & safety concerns, it will be deferred from IHWAP.
When funds are available, work will begin on all IHWAP assessment approved homes in the priority ranking order. The first contractor to the home is the Mechanical Contractor whom will complete any work to the heating system for your home. The other contractor will be the Architectural contractor whom will complete any insulating, caulking, and air sealing measures to make the home more air tight. After all work is complete on the home, a Quality Control Inspector (QCI), will conduct a final inspection on the home. The final inspection checks over the entire home to make sure that we did everything we could, within the IHWAP guidelines, to reduce the air leakage within the home.
To be eligible for IHWAP, your income must be at or below the 200% poverty level over the past 90 days. The income guidelines for Program Year 2023 are picture below:
If you are interested in receiving weatherization assistance, either call our office to be placed onto the waiting list or fill out the PDF to the right of this message and mail to 610 Park Ave, Pekin Illinois, 61554.