Energy Tax Credits for CT Roofs, Sunrise Windows & Doors CT
Energy Tax Credits for CT Roofs, Sunrise Windows & Doors CT
The American Taxpayer Relief Act extended the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit (Code Sec. 25C) through December 31, 2013. Homeowners who purchase(d) the following energy-efficient products between January, 2011 and December 31, 3012 may claim a Federal Tax Credit for 10% of the cost of the purchase.
The Terms:
- You cannot receive any credit for the installation cost
- $500.00 is the maximum credit given ($200.00 for windows)
- The purchase must be for your principal residence (Example: CT replacement windows do not qualify for tax credit if you are a Florida resident with a summer home in CT)
- You may not qualify if you have previously claimed an energy efficiency credit. See www.irs.gov to determine your eligibility.
Fore more information please see: http://www.energystar.gov/?c=windows_doors.pr_taxcredits or http://energystar.supportportal.com/ics/support/kbanswer.asp?deptID=23018&task=knowledge&questionID=16629
PRODUCT CATEGORIES
METAL AND ASPHALT ROOFS
Metal roofs with pigmented coatings that reflect more sunlight and asphalt roofs with cooling granules that meet ENERGY STAR requirements qualify for tax credits. CertainTeed Solaris shingles meet the standards for solar reflectance and thermal emissivity. The shingles can reduce the temperature of your roof by almost 20%, so your cooling costs will be much lower in the summer.
INSULATION
Adding insulation to your home helps maintain the temperature inside your home and reduces heating and cooling costs. Batts, rolls, foam spray, and rigid-board insulation qualify for the tax credit. Even though installation costs are not eligible for a tax credit, having a professional determine where to insulate is worthwhile–especially for CT roofs. Improper insulation can cause moisture buildup in CT roofs and can damage the underlying structure so please call us at Fiderio & Sons to discuss your needs or stop by our Meriden showroom for a free consultation!
WEATHERSTRIPPING
Weatherstripping helps reduce your heating and cooling costs by ensuring a tight seal around your doors and windows. Check your weather stripping to see if it is still intact. If you don’t have any weatherstripping, we highly recommend having it installed. It is not very expensive, so you will recoup your investment quickly. Weatherstipping also helps reduce drafts in your home.
HOUSEWRAP
Housewrap prevents rain from entering your home’s structure, but also needs to allow water vapor to escape. Proper placement of housewrap within your wall structure or CT roof is important to prevent rot.
WINDOWS
Standards for ENERGY STAR rated windows vary depending on your location. Some windows are great at keeping heat inside, some work to reflect heat back outside, and some are a compromise between the two. The U-factor of a window measures how well the window insulates: the lower the U-factor, the better the window keeps heat inside. The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) reflects (pun intended) how much solar heat the window blocks. SHGC values range between 0 and 1. A window that blocks a lot of heat will have a value closer to 0. Windows that absorb more heat have values closer to 1. We will only be focusing on these two ratings for the purpose of tax credits, but we have more information on what window ratings mean if you are interested.
Since the Connecticut climate varies, CT replacement windows are tasked with keeping houses cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Because it gets pretty cold in the winter, windows should have a low U-Factor. A window with a higher U-Factor (a worse insulator) should be able to absorb more heat to compensate (indicated by a higher SHGC.) Connecticut windows with a U-Factor of less the .30 qualify for tax credits. Windows with a U-Factor of .31 can qualify if the SHGC is greater than .35 and windows with a U-Factor of .32 can qualify is the SHGC is greater than .40. At Fiderio & Sons, we think sunrise windows offers the most energy efficient replacement window in CT. These windows offer high U-Factor and Low-E glass. Sunrise-brand windows with Ultra U Plus 12 glass have a U-Factor of 0.28 and SHGC of 0.21.
Image via www.energystar.gov
All ENERGY STAR qualified windows, including skylights, are eligible for the tax credit, but only up to $200. If you add windows or a skylight to your home and choose an energy efficient model, it qualifies. (We recommend Velux for skylights) ENERGY STAR windows that you purchase as part of a home addition qualify, as do ct replacement windows.
DOORS CT
Doors that insulate well and have a tight seal can save you a lot of money on heating and cooling. If your doors have glass, it is important to look at the U-Factor and the SHGC.
Image via www.energystar.gov
The R value of a door indicates how well it insulates (higher being better.) We recommend Therma Tru for Doors CT. Most Therma-Tru Entry Doors qualify for the tax credit: The following links specify which configurations qualify for each collection:
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Classic-Craft American Style
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Classic-Craft Mahogany
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Classic-Craft Rustic
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Classic-Craft Oak
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Classic-Craft Canvas
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Fiber-Classic Mahogany
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Fiber-Classic Oak
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Smooth-Star
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Pulse
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Profiles
Energy Star Qualification Chart – Traditions
Tax Credits through The American Taxpayer Relief Act are only in effect until December 31st! Remember, you get credit from the purchase itself, not the installation. Aside from roofing, the above projects are pretty quick and easy, but if the holidays are a bad time for you to do any kind of project, buy the products and wait until the new year to pay for installation.
Even without the tax credit, choosing energy efficient building materials can save you a lot of money and add value to your home. We recommend ThermaTru for doors CT and CertainTeed for CT roofs. Sunrise windows offers the most energy efficient replacement window in CT and Velux is our favorite brand for skylights. The team at Fiderio & Sons is here to help! We’ve been in the business for over 39 years and know how to transform your old house into a CT green friendly home.
