Weatherization project targets local church’s energy costs

FARMINGTON – The Trinity United Methodist Church, benefiting from the generosity of a local company and an anonymous donor, is undergoing a large-scale weatherization project this month in an effort to improve energy efficiency.

The church received a donation to fund the weatherization project at its Farmington Falls Road address, according to Maurice “Bud” Martin, the president of the board of trustees. The board went out to bid with the project, and selected Upright Frameworks, Wilton-based company that specializes in both weatherizing old homes and building new ones with insulated panels.

Upright Frameworks is undertaking the job as part of “Operation Raise ME Up,” a program where the company undertakes weatherization projects for nonprofit organizations at cost. Recent, local beneficiaries of the program include the Children’s Task Force headquarters on Church Street, the Vienna Town House and the Farmington Historical Society’s offices at the Titcomb House, located at the corner of Academy and High Street.

At the Titcomb House, the society has used 322 fewer gallons of heating oil this year, a 30 percent reduction from the previous year. Calculating in other efficiency improvements, such as a new boiler, and the colder winter, Upright Frameworks owner Josh Wojcik pegged the heating cost reductions generated through the Raise ME Up program at 22 to 25 percent. Total annual savings were calculated at $815.

The program was rolled out in late 2011, initially targeting homeowners. From there it moved to nonprofit organizations.

“It’s a way of helping out,” Wojcik said of the program. “We might not be able to donate money to the cause but maybe we can help stabilize their energy costs. It’s a pleasure to be able help out.”

In terms of sheer size, the Trinity United Methodist Church represents a very different challenge. Built in 1997, the church utilizes a suspended ceiling-style of construction that the Upright Frameworks crew members said is extremely common in commercial buildings. The tiles, however, cap some rooms that have soaring ceilings, such as the church’s banquet room.

“You can’t really rush through something like this,” Project Manager Jake Pettitt said. The crew would use harnesses to move above the distant floor, he noted, as they augment a thin layer of fiberglass insulation with Thermax, a rigid, foam-core insulation, and blown in cellulose.

The final product would be a sort of thermal sandwich, reducing air leakage through the ceiling by as much as 50 percent. The crew has also been installing tar-paper to block the wind and sealed hatches to allow access.

“They’ll definitely see a huge reduction here,” Pettitt said. He noted that after a snowstorm, the crew members could see heat leaking from the building in the form of lines of melting snow.

From the church’s prospective, board president Martin said, the project represented an opportunity to reduce expenditures and save some money on energy. Upright Frameworks, Martin noted, was a local company and, more importantly, was able to work around the church’s busy schedule which includes services as well as hosting Boy Scout groups and support meetings.

“We’ve not had to cancel one thing,” Martin said.

The project earns Upright Frameworks no tangible profit save goodwill, but from Wojcik’s perspective, it represents a chance to positively impact the area through an important element of the community.

“With these groups and nonprofits,” he said, “there’s a ripple effect in whatever community you’re in.”