DENVER — There are homes in Colorado that are not built to withstand today’s climate. It's making it very difficult for some families to live in them when it’s very cold or very hot out.
There are resources available in Denver and across the state to make a home more climate resilient, while still working to keep those changes affordable.
One of the areas, climate experts hope these resources can help, is along west Colfax in Denver.
"It's vulnerable to extreme heat and poor air quality," Mac Prather, with the City of Denver's Climate Action Office, said.
It’s a neighborhood surrounded by pavement, asphalt, cement and not enough trees.
"Many households report reaching 80 to 95 degrees inside the living space," Luke Ilderton, with Energy Outreach Colorado, said.
Then these families face the opposite problem when we hit a cold snap and some homes become unbearably cold. That can then lead to another problem — high heating bills.
Prather and Ilderton said some of the homes in Denver, particularly the ones built before the 80s, aren’t as energy efficient. The windows don’t insulate the homes as well and the houses don’t always have AC. Both experts said, that doesn’t work anymore with today’s climate.
"Having someone older in home or a young child that can be dangerous health situation," Prather said
However, upgrading a home can be very expensive. It's a major hurdle to lifting the entire city into a more climate resilient future. That’s why the City of Denver is trying to spread the word about heat pump rebates and tax credits that are available.
Another option is through Energy Outreach Colorado to help pay energy bills, whether that's to warm up or cool down.
"I hope to see residents stay in the neighborhood, maintain the culture of the neighborhood and able to get more upgrade services to fix historic problems," Idlerton said.
To make this as simple as possible, you can also call 1-866 HEAT HELP LINE or 1-866-432-8435 for more help with energy-related questions and assistance.