Free weatherization from CPS Energy brings health, happiness to 96-year-old resident

Lillie Roman is proud that her 96-year-old mother, Magdalena Luna, still lives comfortably in her own home on the city’s West Side.

Living conditions hadn’t always been ideal for Luna. Until 2012, the 50s-style home had no insulation, making it difficult to keep rooms at a comfortable temperature during summer and winter months. The home’s inefficiencies made energy bills high, and to make matters worse, it became unhealthy for Luna to live in her own home.

“During the winter, she tried to use the gas heater to keep the house warm, but it always felt cold,” said Roman. “My mother is under hospice care and I was very concerned about her getting sick.”

CPS Energy’s Casa Verde program comes with income requirements.

Fortunately, things changed for the better when the family received help from CPS Energy’s Casa Verde program, which offers roughly $5,000 of free weatherization measures to make a home more energy efficient.

After hearing about the program from a family member, Luna applied, and CPS Energy employees began walking her through the four-step process. She shared her proof of income, and once CPS Energy confirmed her eligibility, a contractor assessed her home to make sure it was structurally sound and could benefit from weatherization measures.

Attic and Wall insulation are among the common weatherization measures that customers can qualify for through Casa Verde.

He also identified measures that would make the biggest impact toward energy savings, then gave the thumbs up for work to begin. Contractors installed attic and wall insulation, added weather stripping around windows and doors, and caulked air leaks around the home, which reduces heating and cooling loss. A new wall furnace combined with carbon monoxide and smoke detectors make Luna’s home safe and energy efficient. New compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs also help conserve power and keep bills affordable.

Once the work on the home was complete, CPS Energy inspected it to confirm that the weatherization measures were installed with quality workmanship.

But the real test came when Luna experienced the changes for herself. Luna now has lower energy bills, and better yet, she is happy and healthy in a home that doesn’t waste energy.

“My mother could really tell the difference when the work was completed,” said Roman. “My mom is saving about $50 per month on her energy bill. I highly recommend Casa Verde to anyone because it really helped my mom.”

If you or someone you know qualifies for Casa Verde, visit cpsenergysavers.com to apply today!

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