Saturday, October 17, 2015
Being held in Eau Claire and Menomonie, WI
WHAT IS HEAT’s ON
Project HEAT’s ON is a volunteer effort that was nationally established in 1986 to service and repair the furnaces of elderly, disabled, and low-income homeowners. This will be the 30th year that hundreds of volunteer service technicians from UA Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 434 in Central and Western Wisconsin, and other UA members across America service furnaces of needy homeowners. It’s this cooperative effort with labor volunteering their skills and contractors donating the use of their trucks and parts that allow this program to help so many.
This program helps community members, reduces the cost for government programs and since 1986 pipefitters and contractors in Minnesota have volunteered over 32,833 hours, helped 7,588 homeowners at an estimated value of $3,505,200.
Union Service Technician Volunteers gather in Menomonie
to service furnaces of veteran homeowners
WHY DOES HEAT’S ON EXIST
When HEAT’S ON was first started it accomplished two things. First, we wanted to be good neighbors and help those who truly were in need of energy assistance by repairing, servicing, and cleaning furnaces, many of which were dangerous or even deadly. We worked closely with the local U.S. Veteran organizations and community action programs to identify those in need to make their homes safer and also more energy efficient. This program not only makes homes safer but also lowers fuel bills.
The second reason isn’t that far off from the first, which is to bring awareness to all homeowners that there are inherent dangers when any fuel is being combusted in a home, and that a seasonal check of the system is recommended. Furnaces don’t last forever no matter how good they are, and just like your car, they also require occasional cleaning, maintenance, and tune-ups to run properly, safely, and efficiently.
Totally Free
HEAT’s ON helps homeowners and veterans in need and the service is 100% free. We are able to service these homes due entirely to the hundreds of UA service technicians who want to give back to their community by volunteering their skills and to the contractors who generously donate the parts and use of their equipment to complete necessary repairs. This is totally a grass roots national event that started in 1986 and we are proud to give back to our neighbors.
Partners of HEAT’s ON
HEAT’s ON could not do all the work it does without the help of the Dunn & Eau Claire County Veterans Service Offices. We’d like to thank them for their continued partnership with HEAT’s ON.