to replace your old furnace or boiler.
You can include installation w hen
fig u rin g the tax credit, so you could
receive the total $1,500 credit on this
project alone.
• W INDOW S I f each w in d o w costs
$375, you could buy 14 w indow s to get
back the m axim um $1,500. Note: The
tax credit doesn’t cover installation.
Consult a tax expert before m aking
m ajor purchases, save all receipts, and
get a M anufacturer’s C ertification
Statem ent as p ro o f o f qualification for
products you buy fo r tax credit
i m
p r o v e m
e n t p r o d u c t s . I n s t e a d , t a k e t h e r e s u l t s
o
f y o u r a u d i t t o a t r u s t e d r e t a i l e r o
r c o n t r a c t o r .
lOO
APRIL 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
purposes. Products installed in 2009
m aybe allowable, b u t specifications
have become m ore stringent, so check
models. M anufacturer W eb sites and
retailers are your best bets for
id e n tifyin g qualified products; look
fo r the phrase “ $1,500 tax credit.”
Start with a complete picture of
the energy your home is using.
Your best whole-house solution is an
energy audit—an evaluation o f your
home’s current energy performance
and list o f recommendations for
im proving it. T hin k of it this way: I f
you’ve got m ore than the sniffles, you go
to the doctor for a diagnosis. The pain of
your illness pushes you to get help. It’s
the same w ay w ith your house. W hen
the pain o f paying high u tility bills and
livin g in draffy rooms hurts enough, it’s
When finding a quarter meant being rich.
W hen three sofa cu sh io n s e q u ale d a fort.
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МГ9Т1 РЕапНМГУПрД
PHOTO: MARTY BALDWIN