Jan
24
Where to find rebates, tax credits and rewards for energy-efficient home improvements
January 24, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – If you’re planning to make some home improvements this year, you’re probably thinking about energy-efficient options, knowing they can save you money in the long run. However, many eco-friendly home improvements that help lower your energy bills can also pay off right away in the form of rebates and tax credits.
Whether you’re considering installing an energy-efficient tankless water heater, putting solar panels on your house, or adding a skylight, chances are you can find a program that will put cash back in your pocket for improving your home’s energy efficiency. Here is where to look for rebates, tax credits and rewards for your energy-efficient home improvements:
Qualifying improvements
When you think of energy efficiency, insulation and appliances probably come to mind. But a number of improvements can help reduce your home’s energy consumption, and many of them qualify for tax credits, rebates and incentives from a variety of sources. The kind of improvements that can make your home more efficient and get you some cash back typically include:
* Solar energy systems (such as solar panels)
* Tankless water heaters
* Solar-powered appliances
* Energy-efficient windows and doors
* Skylights and solar-powered blinds
* Wood or wood-pellet stoves
* Home wind turbines
Manufacturer rebates and incentives
Makers of energy-efficient products and appliances often offer their own rebates to homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. If you’re considering an energy-efficient upgrade such as installing new windows, HVAC system or tankless water heater, be sure to ask the retailer or installer about any available manufacturer’s rebates.
For example, now through at least Feb. 15, 2017, you can get up to a $650 rebate on select tankless water heaters from Noritz. The average American household spends nearly 18 percent of its energy use on heating water, at a cost of $200-$600 per year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Tankless water heaters are more energy-efficient because they only heat water when you need it, rather than constantly consuming fuel to keep water hot in a tank. To learn more about tankless water heaters and the rebate, visit www.noritz.com.
Federal tax credits
Although many tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements expired at the end of 2016, some are still available. The federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30 percent for home solar energy systems through Dec. 31, 2019, and there’s no upper limit on the credit, according to EnergyStar.gov.
If you’ll be making energy-efficient home improvements, be sure to talk to your professional tax preparer about any credits or deductions that may be available to you from the federal government.
State-level programs
In addition to federal programs, a number of states offer their own incentives to encourage homeowners to make energy-efficient improvements. For example, Alabama allows homeowners to deduct 100 percent of the purchase price and installation costs of a wood-burning heating system. In Minnesota, homeowners can borrow up to $20,000 at 4.99 percent interest to make energy-efficient improvements such as water heaters, lighting, furnaces, air conditioners, insulation, windows, tankless water heaters and more.
You can find a searchable Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org.
Utility company incentives
Many utility companies also offer programs designed to help homeowners reduce energy consumption and save money. Typical programs include free LED or CFL bulbs to replace incandescent bulbs in a home, and rebates or discounts for installing energy-efficient HVAC equipment or programmable thermostats.
The best way to find out what programs your local utility offers is to check out their website or give them a call. You can also find state-specific lists of programs at www.dsireusa.org.
Energy-efficient home improvements pay off over the long-term by reducing your home’s energy consumption and utility bills. With a little bit of planning and legwork, you can also find rebates, tax credits and incentive programs that will also repay your eco-friendly investment right away. To learn more, visit Noritz.com, www.direusa.org, energy.gov, energystar.gov and irs.gov.
Jan
24
Where to find rebates, tax credits and rewards for energy-efficient home improvements
January 24, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – If you’re planning to make some home improvements this year, you’re probably thinking about energy-efficient options, knowing they can save you money in the long run. However, many eco-friendly home improvements that help lower your energy bills can also pay off right away in the form of rebates and tax credits.
Whether you’re considering installing an energy-efficient tankless water heater, putting solar panels on your house, or adding a skylight, chances are you can find a program that will put cash back in your pocket for improving your home’s energy efficiency. Here is where to look for rebates, tax credits and rewards for your energy-efficient home improvements:
Qualifying improvements
When you think of energy efficiency, insulation and appliances probably come to mind. But a number of improvements can help reduce your home’s energy consumption, and many of them qualify for tax credits, rebates and incentives from a variety of sources. The kind of improvements that can make your home more efficient and get you some cash back typically include:
* Solar energy systems (such as solar panels)
* Tankless water heaters
* Solar-powered appliances
* Energy-efficient windows and doors
* Skylights and solar-powered blinds
* Wood or wood-pellet stoves
* Home wind turbines
Manufacturer rebates and incentives
Makers of energy-efficient products and appliances often offer their own rebates to homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. If you’re considering an energy-efficient upgrade such as installing new windows, HVAC system or tankless water heater, be sure to ask the retailer or installer about any available manufacturer’s rebates.
For example, now through at least Feb. 15, 2017, you can get up to a $650 rebate on select tankless water heaters from Noritz. The average American household spends nearly 18 percent of its energy use on heating water, at a cost of $200-$600 per year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Tankless water heaters are more energy-efficient because they only heat water when you need it, rather than constantly consuming fuel to keep water hot in a tank. To learn more about tankless water heaters and the rebate, visit www.noritz.com.
Federal tax credits
Although many tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements expired at the end of 2016, some are still available. The federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30 percent for home solar energy systems through Dec. 31, 2019, and there’s no upper limit on the credit, according to EnergyStar.gov.
If you’ll be making energy-efficient home improvements, be sure to talk to your professional tax preparer about any credits or deductions that may be available to you from the federal government.
State-level programs
In addition to federal programs, a number of states offer their own incentives to encourage homeowners to make energy-efficient improvements. For example, Alabama allows homeowners to deduct 100 percent of the purchase price and installation costs of a wood-burning heating system. In Minnesota, homeowners can borrow up to $20,000 at 4.99 percent interest to make energy-efficient improvements such as water heaters, lighting, furnaces, air conditioners, insulation, windows, tankless water heaters and more.
You can find a searchable Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org.
Utility company incentives
Many utility companies also offer programs designed to help homeowners reduce energy consumption and save money. Typical programs include free LED or CFL bulbs to replace incandescent bulbs in a home, and rebates or discounts for installing energy-efficient HVAC equipment or programmable thermostats.
The best way to find out what programs your local utility offers is to check out their website or give them a call. You can also find state-specific lists of programs at www.dsireusa.org.
Energy-efficient home improvements pay off over the long-term by reducing your home’s energy consumption and utility bills. With a little bit of planning and legwork, you can also find rebates, tax credits and incentive programs that will also repay your eco-friendly investment right away. To learn more, visit Noritz.com, www.direusa.org, energy.gov, energystar.gov and irs.gov.
Jan
23
How to safeguard your home this winter from ice dam formation
January 23, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – The unpredictable winter weather can wreak havoc for millions of Americans across the country, leaving them cold and reaching to crank up the thermostat. Those living in areas where the temperatures can plummet to subzero, and snow and ice are …
Jan
23
Trend alert: Wood planks warm up ceilings and walls
January 23, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – For centuries, hardwood planks have been the ultimate material for residential floors. Combining exceptional durability with unrivalled good looks, oak, walnut, cherry or other solid-wood floorboards add value and beauty to any home they grace. But these days, handsome timber planking is not only found underfoot, but also on the ceilings and walls of many stylish houses, whether newly built or freshly renovated.
“Timber beams and wood paneling have always played important roles in historical and contemporary residential design, and continue to do so,” says Linda Jovanovich of the American Hardwood Information Center, www.hardwoodinfo.com. “But in addition to these classic applications, we’ve seen a strong trend toward the use of floorboard-style wood planks on ceilings and walls. Homeowners are finding it’s a great way to create interiors that are clean and modern yet still have a traditional warmth.”
New York-based interior designer Laura Bohn agrees. “I’ve installed wood-plank ceilings in many projects, both in the city and the country,” she says. “The ceiling is often a forgotten surface, but I like to think of it as the fifth wall in a room – a blank canvas that can enhance the architecture of a space.”
A case in point is a vacation home in Aspen, Colorado, where Bohn used tongue-and-groove red oak planks on the floors and living-area ceilings. “It’s a big, sprawling house,” Bohn says. “Using the same materials underfoot and overhead gave the spaces added unity.” In some rooms, the wood ceilings extend past clerestory windows to create covered porches that link the interior of the house to the mountain landscape outside. More drama is provided by the natural light that streams through the clerestories and across the ceilings, changing the look of the red oak boards throughout the day.
Rebecca Ascher, principal at Ascher Davis Architects in New York and Newport, Rhode Island, points out that only large, high-ceiling rooms can accommodate such visually distinctive overhead treatment without being overwhelmed. “This is especially true if you’re using strongly characterful hardwoods like walnut or hickory,” she says. “In smaller, lower spaces, a plank ceiling with too much personality can feel oppressive. In those situations, I would probably specify something simple like poplar beadboard finished with a light, natural stain. That would look crisp and airy, adding visual interest while remaining pleasingly low-key.”
Home renovators discovered that installing new wood floorboards overhead is not only a surefire way to refresh an interior – even change its character entirely, if so desired – but also an effective method of covering old, damaged ceilings with relative ease. “Tongue-and-groove can be installed directly over drywall, plaster, and other ceiling materials,” Ascher says. “Just make sure it is securely attached to the joists underneath.”
Similar decorative and architectural transformations can be achieved by covering existing walls with wood planking. A feature wall clad in honey-colored oak or some other distinctive hardwood can give a room focus, bringing a sense of organization and intention to what was previously an amorphous or confused space. It can also add warmth, color and texture to sleek, modernist interiors that can sometimes feel chilly or austere. That is what Texas-based Cornerstone Architects did in a contemporary Austin residence. The decorative temperature of the master bedroom – a coolly elegant arrangement of steel and glass, polished concrete and white plaster – was raised a degree or two by turning the entire wall behind the headboard into a magnificent expanse of burnished walnut boards.
Installing hardwood planking on existing walls has become even easier in recent years with the development of self-adhesive boards. “All you need is a wall surface that has been primed or painted and is clean, dry, and relatively flat,” says Jack Shannon, III of Rustick Wood Co. in Tennessee, one of a growing number of manufactures producing sustainably grown, stick-on hardwood boards. “Our solid wood boards are available in a variety of finishes, ranging from the refined to the rustic, to fit different styles of home décor.” The 5-inch wide planks come in lengths between 2- and 5-feet and can be applied in many possible patterns – classic end-to-end horizontals and verticals, graphic herringbones and chevrons – the homeowner’s imagination is the only real limit.
Visit www.hardwoodinfo.com for more about residential design trends and other applications and products using American hardwoods.
Jan
23
How to safeguard your home this winter from ice dam formation
January 23, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – The unpredictable winter weather can wreak havoc for millions of Americans across the country, leaving them cold and reaching to crank up the thermostat. Those living in areas where the temperatures can plummet to subzero, and snow and ice are …
Jan
23
Trend alert: Wood planks warm up ceilings and walls
January 23, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – For centuries, hardwood planks have been the ultimate material for residential floors. Combining exceptional durability with unrivalled good looks, oak, walnut, cherry or other solid-wood floorboards add value and beauty to any home they grace. But these days, handsome timber planking is not only found underfoot, but also on the ceilings and walls of many stylish houses, whether newly built or freshly renovated.
“Timber beams and wood paneling have always played important roles in historical and contemporary residential design, and continue to do so,” says Linda Jovanovich of the American Hardwood Information Center, www.hardwoodinfo.com. “But in addition to these classic applications, we’ve seen a strong trend toward the use of floorboard-style wood planks on ceilings and walls. Homeowners are finding it’s a great way to create interiors that are clean and modern yet still have a traditional warmth.”
New York-based interior designer Laura Bohn agrees. “I’ve installed wood-plank ceilings in many projects, both in the city and the country,” she says. “The ceiling is often a forgotten surface, but I like to think of it as the fifth wall in a room – a blank canvas that can enhance the architecture of a space.”
A case in point is a vacation home in Aspen, Colorado, where Bohn used tongue-and-groove red oak planks on the floors and living-area ceilings. “It’s a big, sprawling house,” Bohn says. “Using the same materials underfoot and overhead gave the spaces added unity.” In some rooms, the wood ceilings extend past clerestory windows to create covered porches that link the interior of the house to the mountain landscape outside. More drama is provided by the natural light that streams through the clerestories and across the ceilings, changing the look of the red oak boards throughout the day.
Rebecca Ascher, principal at Ascher Davis Architects in New York and Newport, Rhode Island, points out that only large, high-ceiling rooms can accommodate such visually distinctive overhead treatment without being overwhelmed. “This is especially true if you’re using strongly characterful hardwoods like walnut or hickory,” she says. “In smaller, lower spaces, a plank ceiling with too much personality can feel oppressive. In those situations, I would probably specify something simple like poplar beadboard finished with a light, natural stain. That would look crisp and airy, adding visual interest while remaining pleasingly low-key.”
Home renovators discovered that installing new wood floorboards overhead is not only a surefire way to refresh an interior – even change its character entirely, if so desired – but also an effective method of covering old, damaged ceilings with relative ease. “Tongue-and-groove can be installed directly over drywall, plaster, and other ceiling materials,” Ascher says. “Just make sure it is securely attached to the joists underneath.”
Similar decorative and architectural transformations can be achieved by covering existing walls with wood planking. A feature wall clad in honey-colored oak or some other distinctive hardwood can give a room focus, bringing a sense of organization and intention to what was previously an amorphous or confused space. It can also add warmth, color and texture to sleek, modernist interiors that can sometimes feel chilly or austere. That is what Texas-based Cornerstone Architects did in a contemporary Austin residence. The decorative temperature of the master bedroom – a coolly elegant arrangement of steel and glass, polished concrete and white plaster – was raised a degree or two by turning the entire wall behind the headboard into a magnificent expanse of burnished walnut boards.
Installing hardwood planking on existing walls has become even easier in recent years with the development of self-adhesive boards. “All you need is a wall surface that has been primed or painted and is clean, dry, and relatively flat,” says Jack Shannon, III of Rustick Wood Co. in Tennessee, one of a growing number of manufactures producing sustainably grown, stick-on hardwood boards. “Our solid wood boards are available in a variety of finishes, ranging from the refined to the rustic, to fit different styles of home décor.” The 5-inch wide planks come in lengths between 2- and 5-feet and can be applied in many possible patterns – classic end-to-end horizontals and verticals, graphic herringbones and chevrons – the homeowner’s imagination is the only real limit.
Visit www.hardwoodinfo.com for more about residential design trends and other applications and products using American hardwoods.