Upgrade for Energy Efficiency and Receive a Tax Credit

Homeowners and business owners who have been considering making energy efficiency improvements now have an even better reason to act. Not only will the project likely result in a lower energy bill, it could make you eligible for a tax credit. Spenard Builders Supply (SBS) has stocked a variety of products that qualify for the tax credit and your SBS experts can help you understand how you could get up to a $1,500 tax credit in 2009 and 2010.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 extended many of the tax incentives for doing energy efficiency upgrades to a home or business. Unlike a tax deduction, which only decreases taxes owed by a percentage, a tax credit reduces tax dollar-for-dollar. By itemizing qualified purchases on your federal income tax form, you’ll actually lower the total amount of tax you owe the government.

Qualifying improvements include the installation of newer, more energy efficient windows and doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC and water heaters. The home improvements have to be ready and available for use sometime between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. A Manufacturer Certifications Statement (a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit) is required, and you need to keep receipts to prove you purchased the home improvement materials. Existing homes qualify for a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500 in 2009 and 2010.

Following are some of the products SBS offers that qualify for the tax credit:

Alpine Windows

Many of Alaska’s homes are losing valuable heat through old windows. Vinyl windows have become the choice in window technology over aluminum or wood products. Alpine has developed some of the highest quality, maintenance friendly and energy efficient vinyl windows available for residential and light commercial applications.

Many of Alpine's windows, available from SBS, qualify for the tax credit. Eligible windows, doors and skylights must have a U-factor of 0.30 or less, and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.30 or less. You can find the U-factor and SHGC on the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label on each product. NFRC is the only federally recognized organization for determining the energy performance of windows and doors.
SBS carries a variety of shapes, sizes and styles of Alpine 80 series windows that feature a heavy duty, vinyl frame with one-inch insulated Low E glass. These windows won’t chip, peel, crack or warp and don’t require any painting or caulking.

Alpine windows are better for several reasons. Instead of being mechanically fastened, they’re fusion welded. That means they’re built through a heat joining process instead of screwed together at the corners. Alpine Windows also feature the Intercept™ process, the most state-of-the-art insulated glass spacer system available. It’s an insulated spacer system using a one-piece U-shaped channel to maintain consistent space between the two panes of glass. This U-shaped system reduces the transfer of heat and cold, making the entire unit stronger and more energy efficient. Intercept forces the gas inside of the window’s insulated glass unit to stay in, and helps to keep moisture out.

Other features that make Alpine windows a leader include an inside or outside removable, fiberglass screen and a sloped sill that forces water to drain to the exterior of the window. Alpine 80 series windows can be customized to suit your design. They’re available in white, almond, clay or bronze exterior with a white interior.

Plastpro Fiberglass Doors

Since 1994, Plastpro Inc. has been a leading manufacturer of fiberglass entry doors in the U.S. Many of Plastpro’s Distinction Doors qualify for the tax credit. Not only will these doors increase curb appeal and beauty to your home, they also provide moisture resistance and increased energy efficiency.

Plastpro’s Hydroshield Technology™ includes a fiberglass reinforced door skin, full-length composite stiles and composite top and bottom rails that prevent water infiltration on all six sides. These doors won’t rot, splinter or warp like wood and they won’t dent or delaminate like a steel door.

Plastpro doors are better because they expand and contract very little with weather changes. Plastpro’s graining options include rustic mahogany, wood grain, true white oak, fir grain and smooth skin. The doors come in a variety of styles and sizes, and some even have built-in mini blinds.

Exterior doors that qualify for the tax credit program must have a U-factor and SHGC of 0.30 or below. It’s important to note that transoms (glass above the door) and doors with glass larger than 1,100 square inches without Low E type glass do not qualify for the tax credit. Check with your SBS representative for help on finding the right door for your home that qualifies for the tax credit.

Larson Storm Doors

Adding a storm door to your home is a smart energy saver, and another way to qualify for a tax credit. SBS carries a full line of Larson storm doors that are not only durable and efficient, they’re also stylish and a great value. A storm door can not only showcase your home’s entry, it also can be used to seal a draft, let light in or ventilate the home.

Larson doors come in 40 different colors and styles -- from the full view glass door style to ScreenAway® models that have a retractable screen that disappears into a hidden cassette at the top of the door. Ventilating models feature built-in screens including multi-vent or single-vent models or multi-full screens for top and bottom ventilation. Larson also carries a line of full glass security doors that include Keep Safe glass and 3-point locks.

A storm door qualifies for the tax credit when it, in combination with the exterior door over which it is installed, has a U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.30 or below, and meets the prescriptive criteria established by the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

Larson, a family-owned company based in South Dakota for more than 50 years, is America’s #1 storm door manufacturer. Let your SBS expert show you how a good storm door can be an all weather management tool, and how a Larson door could make a home’s entrance up to 45 percent more efficient.