By Carrie Pond
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-815374.mp3
Mayfield, KY – With temperatures expected to dip into the single digits, state officials are urging people to take extra precautions to keep warm. Carrie Pond talks with a local weatherization expert on what people can do to keep their homes cozy during cold spells.
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Larry Baldwin is the Weatherization Director for West KY Allied Services, a community action agency that offers assistance programs for low-income families. He says during the cold winter months, it is especially important to weatherize your home- not only to keep your home toasty, but also to conserve energy and save money. He offers these last-minute tips for keeping your house warm.
"Caulking around windows, doors. Make sure you don't have any open areas around the house to where any pipes or so forth where they could freeze. And something else that could help would be pipe wrap on the water lines themselves that helps to keep them from freezing."
Baldwin says the organization offers heating and weatherization assistance where workers close up sources of air infiltration like cracks around windows and doors and inspect heating units to ensure they're operating efficiently- all free of charge. Renters are eligible for the program as well- they'll just need permission from a landlord to do the winterizing. The agency has satellite offices in the 8-county Jackson Purchase region.