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Dayton, Ohio - Even wearing plush socks and snow pants, Marcia Powell said that when she curled up on a chair in the living room, she still felt cold. She said her electric fireplace cannot be compared to the winter of Dayton because she does not have a stove to keep the rest of the house heating.
With the help of Rebuilding Together's Heat the Town event, Powell hopes those cold days will pass because they are undergoing a comprehensive HVAC overhaul in her home, all of which are free.
Rebuilding Together is a construction-based national non-profit organization that works with local contractors in cities such as Dayton to ensure that low-income homeowners can carry out costly repairs to ensure that their houses are safe and livable.
For Powell, this means replacing the complete stove and water heater and ventilation work. Usually, Butler Heating and Air Conditioning Company donates thousands of dollars in equipment and installation services for free.
"It feels good already," Powell said.
The manufacturer recommends replacing your furnace every 15 to 20 years. Although she does not remember the exact date of the last installation, Powell said it is at least twice that time.
"I think we had a new one in the 80s," she said.
Powell said that cost has always been an obstacle.
Powell inherited it from her mother in 1984. She said she grew up in her house, but the building dates back more than 100 years and it was accompanied by a series of expensive maintenance projects.
After retiring, the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all moved out. Powell said that her budget did not have much room for maneuver and most of her time and money were spent on keeping up with the pace of home repairs.
Powell said that the longer the waiting time, the more expensive the problem and the greater the labor intensity. Even quick repairs that maintain heat prove to be expensive.
"The reason I had to perform surgery on my wrist last year was because I used a manual nail gun to put plastic on the window," she said.
When she heard about the Heat the Town event of Rebuilding Together, Powell applied to check how much work her system required.
Butler Heating determined her urgent need to qualify her for free stoves and water heaters, and placed an order in early fall.
"Aren't we blessed?" Powell said. "fortunately."
Powell's situation is far from unique. The National Energy and Utilities Affordability Coalition estimates that 1.3 million people in Ohio will need help with heating this winter, whether through energy assistance or subsidized system maintenance.
In Dayton alone, Rebuilding Together identified 120 low-income homeowners who needed furnace or water heater repair and replacement. To meet this demand this winter, a spokesperson for the organization said that Heat the Town needs more HVAC and plumbing partners who are willing to donate labor and services.
For Powell’s installation, the supply chain delay meant that the furnace would not arrive until December, so Butler Heating began installation on December 2.
"It looks the best ever," Powell said.
According to Rebuilding Together, Powell's ventilation system requires more maintenance than expected, so the installation requires multiple days of work.
At the same time, Powell is looking forward to feeling comfortable in her home again, hoping that this new stove will provide the relief she needs for many years.
"I really appreciate that happiness is filling my soul," she said.
In addition to HVAC repair and replacement, Rebuilding Together also provides other services such as fall prevention work, fire safety and external maintenance.
Powell said that she has planned to apply for the help of rebuilding together again to install railings on her stairs.