Our warm October won’t last

By Rep. Richard Cleary
(D-Houlton)
    With temperatures reaching the sixties and seventies in the last weeks of October, I am finding it hard to think about turning up the heat. We know winter is coming and home heating fuel is not getting any cheaper.
    And now that many Mainers are thinking about when to start heating their homes, we’re also worrying about what it’s going to cost. Oil prices are on an upward climb, with no indication that they are going to come down, or even level out, any time soon. This means it could be an expensive winter here in Northern Maine.
    If you need assistance with home heating costs, it’s not too late to apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP provides aid for winter heating bills to nearly 50,000 low-income and elderly Mainers each year, and you can apply even if heat is included in your rent. Over $7 million in Federal funding was made available for Maine’s LIHEAP program this year.
    To start the process, you need to contact the Presque Isle office of the Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) to set up an appointment. When you go to your appointment, bring information about household members, income, energy bills, type of fuel used, and where you’re located. You will also choose an oil vendor at the time of your application appointment. If your application is approved, you will receive notification from Maine State Housing regarding your award amount and the name of the oil vendor.
    In addition to ongoing fuel assistance, emergency fuel assistance is available starting in November for those who have under a quarter of a tank of heating fuel or if utility services are going to be disconnected. If you are in need of emergency assistance, you can contact the Presque Isle office at 800-432-7881.
    If you have already submitted your application, please be patient. Final funding awards have only recently been announced, and the ACAP offices are processing applications as quickly as possible. Notification of benefits letters have started to go out to applicants.
    Applying for LIHEAP may also open the door for other programs, including the electric utility’s Low Income Assistance Plan and Maine State Housing Authority’s Appliance Replacement Program. Under this program, low interest loans are provided for new energy efficient appliances. There is also a program that includes an energy audit of your home to determine whether or not you would benefit from updated household systems such as furnaces and windows.
    LIHEAP is an assistance program, and often ends up covering only about one-third of heating costs. In order to save energy and cut costs, Maine State Housing Authority suggests a few household tips. When cleaning, make sure you dust warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators, as well as the bottom and back of your refrigerator once a year; wash clothes in cold water; have your heating system cleaned every year and replace your furnace filters monthly during heating season. When cooking and baking, cover pans to reduce the cooking time and the heat needed; and turn off the oven five minutes before you’re done, using the stored heat to finish. Finally, when you are sleeping or leave the house, turn down the thermostat, and consider installing a programmable thermostat.
    Applications for LIHEAP are being accepted now through the end of April. Call 800-432-7881 to reach the Presque Isle office to set up your appointment. As always, if you have questions or comments about LIHEAP or any other state issues, you can reach me at home at 532-2905 or my office at 532-7526 or by e-mail at rccleary@ainop.com. I look forward to hearing from you.