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We are proud to offer windows, doors, siding and
insulation for your home that have earned the ENERGY STAR®
label. ENERGY STAR qualified products are substantially more
energy efficient than products used to build homes to the
minimum code requirements. Our ENERGY STAR qualified products
are independently verified by a third-party Home Energy Rater to
ensure they meet ENERGY STAR energy efficiency guidelines. These
homes improvement products are better for the environment and
better for you.
Benefits of
installing our ENERGY STAR qualified products include:
Tax
Credit up to $500
The tax credit made available to homeowners as part of Tax
Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation
Act of 2010, signed into law December 17, 2010, extends certain
energy efficient tax credits for qualifying windows, skylights,
and exterior doors for a period of one year.
1. What
windows and doors are eligible for the credit?
Windows,
skylights and exterior doors that meet the ENERGY STAR rating.
2. How
much is the tax credit?
The tax credit
is $200 for windows and skylights and $500 for exterior doors. The
maximum credit for all taxable years for qualifying products is $500
- no more than $200 of the credit can be attributable to expenses
for windows and skylights.
3. What
percentage of the product(s) purchase price is eligible?
Ten percent of
the purchase price up to the cap listed in #2 (not including labor
or materials for installation).
4. When
does the tax credit take effect and how long does it last?
The tax credit
begins January 1, 2011 and expires December 31, 2011. Purchasers of
qualifying windows, skylights, and exterior doors must have them
installed in their principal residence by December 31, 2011.
5. How
does the tax credit compare to the previous credits? Are consumers
who took advantage of those credits eligible for the new tax credit?
The 2011 tax incentives revert to the 2005-2008
levels: 10% of the cost installing efficient windows. Anyone who has
taken advantage of the 2006 - 2010 programs cannot apply for
incentives that exceed the cap. Example: if a consumer claimed $500
in 2006 for a qualifying exterior door, the tax credit is exhausted;
if only $300 was claimed in 2009, $200 can still be claimed - for a
total of $500.
6. Where can I get more
information on the tax credits?
Visit
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home.index. The IRS will
issue additional specific guidance soon. Check
http://www.irs.gov
for updated information.
A
Label Backed by the Government
All ENERGY STAR qualified products are certified
to meet EPA's strict guidelines for energy efficiency. This
exemplary performance is verified by an independent third party.
Lower Utility Costs
Compared with standard homes built to code, homes
with ENERGY STAR qualified products installed use substantially
less energy for heating, cooling, and hot water heating.
Homeowners can expect to save about $50–$400 monthly on their
utility bills.
More Comfortable/Quieter Homes
The energy-efficient features of ENERGY STAR
qualified products help keep out excessive heat, cold, and
noise, and ensure consistent temperatures between and across
rooms-making these homes more comfortable to live in.
Helping to Create a Better Future
By purchasing an ENERGY STAR qualified new home
and products, you are joining millions of consumers who have
changed to ENERGY STAR, helping our nation reduce our energy
needs and building a cleaner environment for the future.
Learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified new homes
at
www.energystar.gov.
 Windows
can be one of your home's most
attractive features. Windows provide views, day lighting,
ventilation, and solar heating in the winter. Unfortunately, they
can also account for 10% to 25% of your heating bill. During the
summer, your air conditioner must work harder to cool hot air from
sunny windows. Install ENERGY STAR windows and use curtains and
shade to give your air conditioner and energy bill a break. Many of
the windows we supply can cut the cooling load by 10% to 15%.
If your
home has single-pane windows, as almost half of U.S. homes do,
consider replacing them. New double pane windows with
high-performance glass are available from Brennan Enterprises. If
you are building a new home, you can offset some of the cost of
installing more efficient windows because doing so allows you to buy
smaller, less expensive heating and cooling equipment.
Remember
that new windows must be installed correctly to avoid air leaks
around the frame. Look for a reputable, qualified installer.
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Whether
replacing windows in an older house or choosing windows for a new
house, your decisions on what type of windows to buy will be among
the most important decisions you will make in terms of energy
savings. Because of the impact windows have on both heat loss and
heat gain, proper selection of products can be confusing. To add to
the complexity, window glazing technology has changed tremendously
in recent years. The best window glazings today insulate almost four
times as well as the best commonly available windows from twenty
years ago.
Window
technology has improved dramatically in recent years, with the net
result of lowering your energy bills. Some of the most important
energy features of windows are explained below.
Multiple layers of glazing.
Until
the 1980s the primary way manufacturers improved the energy
performance of windows was to add additional layers of glazing.
Double glazing insulates almost twice as well as single glazing.
Adding a third or fourth layer of glazing results in further
improvement. Some of these windows use glass only; others use thin
plastic films as the inner glazing layer(s).
Thickness of air space.
With
double-glazed windows the air space between the panes of glass has a
big effect on energy performance. A very thin air space does not
insulate as well as a thicker air space because of the conductivity
through that small space. Many window manufacturers have increased
the thickness of the air space in their double-glazed windows from
¼" to ½" or more. If the air space is too wide, however, convection
loops between the layers of glazing occur. Beyond about 1", you do
not get any further gain in energy performance with thicker air
spaces.
Low-conductivity gas fill.
By
substituting a denser, lower conductivity gas such as argon for the
air in a sealed insulated glass window, heat loss can be reduced
significantly. Most major window manufacturers offer argon-gas fill
as an option in their most popular windows.
Tinted glass coatings.
Tinted
glass and tinted window films have long been used in commercial
buildings to reduce heat gain through windows. Improved, lightly
tinted windows are becoming more common for the residential market
in Texas. These new glazings reduce the solar heat gain without
reducing visibility as much as older tinted glass and films.
Low-e
coatings.
More
than any other single improvement, the invention and commercial
development of low-emissivity (low-e) coatings in the 1980s
revolutionized window technology. Thin, transparent coatings of
silver or tin oxide permit visible light to pass through, but they
effectively reflect infrared heat radiation back into the room. This
reduces heat loss through the windows in the winter.
Edge
spacers.
The edge
spacer is what holds the panes of glass apart and provides the
airtight seal in an insulated glass window. Traditionally, these
have been hollow aluminum channels, usually filled with desiccant
beads. Aluminum has extremely high conductivity. That didn’t matter
when the glazing did not insulate very well, but as better
performing glazings were developed, proportionately more heat was
lost through the edges. Since about 1990, a number of improved edge
spacers have come onto the market. Some are made of thin-walled
steel and have a thermal break. Others are made of silicone foam or
butyl rubber. Generally, better edge seals are a low-cost option
when ordering windows, and worth considering.
Many
local utilities provide financial incentives for purchasing ENERGY
STAR qualified windows, doors, and skylights. To find out if rebates
or other incentives are available in your area,
visit the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder. |
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