On October 19, 2022

Time to button up your home

With heating fuel prices at their highest level in years and winter just around the corner, Button Up Vermont is getting the word out: The best time to weatherize your home is right now.

The annual Button Up Vermont campaign, supported by a partnership of energy services providers and clean energy champions, works each fall to raise awareness of the need to weatherize and helps connect Vermonters with tools and resources to save. From tips on air sealing and insulation to weighing the benefits of upgrades like energy efficient heat pumps, Button Up Vermont works to encourage Vermonters to make their homes more comfortable and affordable in winter.

“Buttoning up your home is one of the best ways to make your family more comfortable this winter, while lowering heating bills in a time of high fuel prices,” said Peter Walke, Managing Director of Efficiency Vermont.

“Weatherization investments you make now will help you be more resilient for years to come, as climate change brings more volatile weather, and likely volatile fossil fuel prices as well.”

Signs that you need to button up

If your home is losing heat, it’s likely you’ve noticed one or more of these common problems:

  • Drafts. If cool air leaks in while your heat is on, you can be sure that energy is being wasted.
  • Snow melt. Snow melting in some areas of your roof and not others can indicate that your attic is not properly sealed and insulated.
  • Icicles. They may look pretty, but icicles often indicate that heat is escaping through your roof.
  • Mold. Lack of insulation can cause moisture to rise and get trapped in the attic.

What you can do

Stopping heat loss increases comfort and saves money. Here’s what you can do:

  • Attend an event to learn about buttoning up.
  • Sign up for a free Virtual Home Energy Visit with an Efficiency Vermont expert.
  • VGS customers with high energy use may also qualify for a complementary energy audit.
  • Complete DIY projects to stop drafts and get $100 back.
  • Find a qualified contractor through Efficiency Vermont’s Efficiency Excellence Network.
  • Install an efficient heat pump system to save on fossil fuel, with discounts from your local utility.
  • Get started on a comprehensive weatherization project to air seal and insulate your home.

Efficiency Vermont and VGS are offering incentives to cover 75% off project costs — up to $5,000 — to offset the cost of a comprehensive weatherization project. Combined with 0% financing for qualified households, the monthly cost for many households could be as little as $50. DIY incentives are also available to Vermonters who aren’t ready to take on a comprehensive project but want to roll up their sleeves and make small improvements to increase comfort this winter.

Income-eligible families may also qualify for free whole-home weatherization service, through the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Killington Grand Hotel sale sets new sales record

November 6, 2024
The most expensive interval ownership condominium in Killington was sold by Killington Pico Realty on Nov. 1, for $210,000–one of two interval condominiums in Killington to sell for more than $200,000 in the same week. For perspective, this same interval condominium sold just 16 months ago for $134,000. Krista Mosher and Jessica Posch of Killington…

Vermont’s regular deer season starts Nov. 16

November 6, 2024
Hunters are gearing up for the start of Vermont’s traditionally popular 16-day regular deer season that begins Saturday, Nov. 16 and ends Sunday, Dec. 1.  A hunter may take one legal buck during this season if they did not already take one during the archery deer season. “The greatest numbers of deer continue to be…

Hospitals report runs into furor over ‘major restructuring’ recommendations 

November 6, 2024
Analysis plunged state’s healthcare system into anxiety, uncertainty By Peter D’Auria/VTDigger Last month, a consultant released a sweeping report recommending significant changes for Vermont’s healthcare system, including “major restructuring” at four community hospitals. The 144-page state-commissioned document details a series of steps that Vermont’s hospitals should take to stay afloat, including repurposing inpatient units and downgrading emergency departments…

Amazon to pay $400,000 to Vermont for violating online sales ban on vaping products

October 30, 2024
Attorney General Charity Clark announced that Amazon has agreed to pay $400,000 to the State of Vermont to settle a dispute regarding violations of the state’s delivery sales ban, which prohibits the direct shipping of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping products, to Vermont consumers. The settlement resolves allegations that third-party sellers on Amazon’s platform…