WILTON — Village View tenant Jean Dahl doesn’t pay for the propane that heats her apartment. She is responsible for the electricity that powers the propane heat, she said.

When residents of the 44-apartment complex were invited to learn more about saving energy and money with window panels Tuesday, Dahl and a few other residents decided to learn more about it.

Window panels, made by the homeowners — or in this case, tenants — and volunteers, under the Community Energy Challenge is not new. This is the fifth season, Nancy Teel, volunteer coordinator for the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area told the residents.

More than 1,500 panels have been made for 274 homes and 15 public buildings in Franklin County, she said.

Now tenants in three large apartment complexes that house seniors, disabled and those receiving living assistance are being given the opportunity to participate in the Community Energy Challenge.

The complexes include Village View Apartments in Wilton, Jay Elderly Housing and Jay Hill Apartments. Village View and Jay Elderly Housing offer apartments for seniors and the disabled while Jay Hill is for seniors and families, Jan Grant of Madison Avenue Associates said Wednesday.

Apartment management, Madison Avenue Associates, and owner Robert Bahre are also on board.

Bahre has offered space at the Jay Plaza, the site of the former Pro Vision Center, for Saturday workshops to make the panels, Teel told the residents. These will start in September, Teel said.

The complexes’ maintenance workers will also be involved, helping with storage and preserving the panels and installation, Grant said.

While the Livermore Falls senior housing, also under this management, probably won’t participate due to the fact that they have new windows, the other three complexes total about 123 units, she said. Tenant participation is voluntary.

“We’re lucky that Nancy contacted us about participating  in this project,” she said. “We’re looking at huge savings for our tenants … it’s just wonderful.”

Western Maine Community Action has also helped a couple of the properties with extra insulation this summer, too, she said.

“We’re grateful to be offered these programs,” she added. “It’s a huge help for our tenants.”

While these tenants may spend time helping to make panels and the cost is usually $1.50 per linear foot for each panel, those receiving rent assistance can have six window panels for free, Teel said. Normally, a resident can get their investment back in fuel savings.

For these residents who don’t pay for heat, Gary LaGrange, a volunteer with 25-plus years experience in the housing program at Western Maine Community Action, estimated a 10 to 20 percent reduction in their electrical bills.

“Heat follows the path of least resistance,” LaGrange told the tenants about the need to cover the windows.

The pine wood panels covered on both sides with shrink wrap create insulation for the window while still allowing the ability to look through the window. Weather stripping around the wood helps reduce and stop draft movement, he said.

The panels help make the primary living areas more comfortable, he said. They are sturdy,  usually lasting about ten years.

The reverse has been seen in the summer, Teel said. Those who keep the panels on the window all year have seen additional savings, as the panels help keep the hot air out.

A similar presentation last week at Jay Elderly Housing resulted in several signing up for the panels and calls this week, Teel said.

For more information about the window panels, contact Teel at 778-5048.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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