OG&E Helping Prepare Oklahomans' Homes For Winter

By Jennifer Pierce, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- As the weather turns cooler, OG&E has launched a program aimed at helping low income Oklahomans cut their energy costs.

OG&E crews will be at Reding Senior Center all week preparing residents' homes for the colder days ahead, and residents couldn't be happier.

"They weather stripped this all down here. Caulked it all in," said Kathleen Wilfong, who had her home weatherized.

The small projects will make a big difference in Wilfong's heating and cooling bills. Wilfong is on a fixed income and doesn't have a lot of extra money to do repairs.

"And of course the maintenance people don't usually have enough money to keep up everything," Wilfong said.

That's one reason OG&E is weatherizing low income Oklahomans' apartments and homes at no cost. Crews said they typically find one common problem inside homes.

"The weather sealing around the windows is dry rot and caulk pulls away from windows and wood. The weatherstripping around the doors, dry rot really bad," said David O'Bryant, who has been weatherizing low income homes.

So crews are going in and sealing up the leaks.

"What we're doing out here is weatherstripping, caulking, attic insulation," said Kathleen O'Shea, with OG&E.

Besides weatherizing, crews have also been installing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

Learn more about OG&E's free weatherizing program