Williamsport Woman Says Weatherization Saved Her Family

Diana Brown points to the clogged furnace flue that resulted in a carbon monoxide build-up in her home.

Sometimes home weatherization services are about more than keeping the cold air out and the warm air in.  Sometimes it’s about saving a life.   

In March, 2008, the SEDA-Council of Governments weatherized the Williamsport home Diana Brown now shares with her daughter and grandchild.  As part of the job, a carbon monoxide detector was installed and, according to Mrs. Brown, it saved her family’s lives a few weeks ago.   

Late September evenings can be cool and damp, especially if there’s been a lot of rain.  No one wants their three-month old granddaughter to catch a chill so, with that in mind, Mrs. Brown turned her heat on, but it didn’t help much so she turned it higher until, finally, it was up to 70°.   

“Seventy should’ve burnt me up in here,” Mrs. Brown says.  Little by little the house warmed up and the family went to bed.

The next morning Mrs. Brown left for her job at the Best Western hotel in Williamsport, while Barbara, her daughter, prepared to wash the family’s clothes.  Around mid-morning Barbara gave her mother a call, “…and she told me the box was beeping…,” the carbon monoxide detector SEDA-COG had installed over three years before.

Hanging up, Mrs. Brown immediately called the gas company.  “They told me to get my daughter and granddaughter out of the house; the neighbors, too.”  The home is part of a double unit.  Within a short time a crew from UGI Penn Natural Gas had arrived at Mrs. Brown’s home and turned off the gas.  Turning their attention to the furnace, the crew found that a clogged flue had caused carbon monoxide fumes to build up.  Careful instructions to remedy the situation were left for the home’s landlord and, in just a few days, it was taken care of.  The gas remained off for only two days.   

Looking back now, Mrs. Brown just shakes her head, “Without that detector, carbon monoxide fumes might have filled my house.”  

Installation of carbon monoxide detectors is a standard procedure on SEDA-COG's Weatherization jobs.  “Every fuel source, other than electricity, emits levels of carbon monoxide,” says Doug Deihl, Chief of SEDA-COG's Weatherization program, “Natural gas, oil, propane, even wood stoves release carbon monoxide.”   

SEDA-COG has been weatherizing homes in Central Pennsylvania for nearly 35 years, and completed approximately 1,700 jobs in Fiscal Year 2011.  Forty percent of those were under their contracts with utility companies like UGI and, according to Deihl, the gas company is always quick to respond to emergencies like Mrs. Brown’s.

As for carbon monoxide detectors, Deihl recommends them for virtually everyone.  “They’re easy to find,” he says, “and easy to install. Just follow the directions.”

SEDA-COG is one of 43 Weatherization agencies in the Commonwealth, all of which work with the state’s Office of Energy Conservation and Weatherization, headed by E. Craig Heim, Executive Director.  SEDA-COG leads all the agencies in the percentage of homes completed relative to the three year plan for Pennsylvania. 

In less than two years, SEDA-COG has weatherized more than 780 homes, with a three year goal of 733.  Overall, more than 26,000 homes have been completed in less than two years.  The three year goal for Pennsylvania is 29,700.

It was actually a state Weatherization monitor, Kurt Seig, who brought Mrs. Brown’s experience to the attention of the state’s Energy Conservation office.  Mr. Seig was attending a training session in Williamsport at the aforementioned Best Western hotel.  He heard Mrs. Brown recount her experience to co-workers and asked if she would be willing to let others know about it.   
“This is an interesting human interest story,” said Mr. Seig, “But it is also an important message that can help save lives.”