With increasing energy costs it can be hard for any family, let alone one with a lower income, to pay the rising costs of heating and cooling their home.

Community Services, Inc. in Maryville serves nine counties and through their weatherization department aids in reducing energy costs for lower income families by increasing energy efficiency in their homes. Not only does CSI's Green Team aid in energy efficiency, they also go one step further by offering a variety of energy workshops.

Danna Seipel, housing and energy director for CSI, said the weatherization program continues to grow every year. She also looks forward to working with the new energy efficiency program which began July 1.

"I'd say it's 100 percent improved," Seipel said. "People seem to be more aware of its significance — with global warming, last winter's high heating bills. I think they realize a lot more importance in taking care of the little things. It's those little changes that make a huge difference."

Last year CSI weatherized 83 homes with available funding from state and federal grants and various utility companies.

As a not for profit agency, The Green Team is offering what Seipel said is the best service in weatherization to income eligible families. She said their staff will go to a residence, and inspect and test the amount of leakage sneaking in through cracks and windows around the home. The next step would be to begin sealing around doors and windows, blowing in insulation and other measures to ensure the house is more energy efficient.

Seipel said that for every dollar put into weathering a home, $2.54 is saved on a utility bill. She also said that if, for example, a family had a $200 energy bill, generally the bill would be reduced by at least half of the normal total after weatherization changes have been made.

The Green Team currently has eight members, but if the demand increases, so will the employees Seipel said.

Seipel said the families and individuals who benefit from the income-eligible program are thankful for the services they receive.

"They are very appreciative," she said. "During the winter months especially — we have a lot of cutoffs. People are going without heat simply because they can't pay their bills.

"It's important to sign up before winter gets here, because prices are expected to jump 24 percent by the fall."

The energy workshops were first offered last year, and Seipel said she receives phone calls almost on a daily basis of interested parties wondering when the next workshop would be available.

"We're very hands on," she said. "We don't tell you how to make these changes, we show you how to do it."

Energy audits are free to those who fall within the income guidelines, and offered at a cost to those who don't.

"It's a lot cheaper than other contractors in the area," Seipel said. "If they don't want to do it themselves, we can help them at a much lower cost."

CSI provides weatherization services in Nodaway, Atchison, Holt, Gentry, Worth, Andrew, Clinton, Dekalb and Buchanan counties.

Beginning July 1, CSI and United Electric Cooperative in Maryville agreed to partner with an energy audit program. Atchison-Holt Electric will provide services to the communities in those counties.

For more information contact Seipel at (660) 582-3113.