For homeowners whose incomes are relatively low, the idea of making important upgrades to their properties can seem like an intimidating task, even though it may ultimately reduce the cost of monthly utility bills. Fortunately, organizations like the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning in Baltimore, Maryland, are leading initiatives to fix local residents' homes and make them energy-efficient.

According to local news source The Baltimore Sun, the program uses federal and state funding to help homeowners with low to moderate incomes upgrade their homes in ways that will cut energy costs and give them healthier living environments. By targeting residences that house children with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, the coalition has been able to improve the quality of life for many local families.

"If you're paying three times what you should in energy costs, you're less likely to fix the water leak," Ruth Ann Norton, the coalition's executive director, explained to the source. "Additionally, you can't do a proper weatherization of a home if it has lead or mold hazards."

Danielle Smith, a 35-year-old teacher living in North Baltimore, said that she and her family can feel the difference in their four-bedroom home after the program helped them install all new windows, making it warmer and less expensive to heat in the winter. She told the source that her utility bills are more than $100 a month lower than they were previously, and her 8-year-old son has had less asthma-related health complications.

Thanks to the state of Maryland's multiple rebate offerings, including those available from Pepco and Potomac Edison, it may be easier and more cost-effective than you think to make energy-efficient upgrades to your home. To get started, contact a home inspection contractor to perform an energy audit.