The cost of weatherizing homes for the bitter winter months just got a little bit cheaper.

Vermonters could have an easier time affording weatherization and home heating equipment this winter, as state Treasurer Jeb Spaulding announced that interest rates for loans aimed at helping residents prepare their homes for winter have significantly decreased.

Interest rates for the Warm and Weatherized Loan Program has dropped one percentage point since the program’s launch in September to 2.75 percent. The interest rate decreased because it is tied to prime lending rates, which has declined over the past several months as the national economy contracted. Interest rates for the Warm and Weatherized Loan Program are fixed at 1.25 percent lower than the prime lending rate.

“The program gives Vermonters another opportunity to decrease their energy bills,” Spaulding said in a statement on Tuesday. “The lower interest rate makes this option even more affordable to homeowners.”