How a Window Replacement in Lubbock, TX Can Result in a Tax Refund

If you think it’s time for window replacement in Lubbock, TX or in Odessa, TX, there are two important things you should also do. One, switch to energy-efficient windows. Two, do that by December 31, 2013. Do these both, and you can even benefit from a tax refund.

Why is that? The tax refund comes from the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which was passed at the start of the year. The law aims to relieve qualified taxpayers by giving them incentives for certain categories. These categories include alternative power, bio fuels, energy efficiency, and wind production.

 

To earn a tax refund, one must use products that have been rated by the ENERGY STAR program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ENERGY STAR only rates products that are manufactured by a partner of the program, certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), and approved by the U.S. Department of Energy.

 

One must install ENERGY STAR-rated products in his or her primary residence by the end of this year. These ENERGY STAR products include doors, asphalt or metal roofs, skylights, and windows. Although installation costs are not included, anyone who installs qualified windows may receive a tax refund of up to $200 for them. There are other tax refund amounts for doors, skylights, and other qualified products.

 

Of course, one has to apply for the tax refund in order to get it. The ENERGY STAR website has a downloadable form and some instructions on how to go about application. The sooner the energy-efficient windows are installed and the forms are completed, the sooner one can start getting that tax refund.

 

Think about that: installing energy-efficient windows enables you to have more than just a comfortable and eco-friendly home. On top of getting a tax refund, you will get lower utility bills as well. These can’t get more appealing than they are now, when December is just around the corner and you’ll need more warmth in your home and more money for the holidays.

 

There are many reasons to use replacement windows in Odessa, TX or in Lubbock, TX that are energy efficient. If replacing windows with energy-efficient ones feels challenging, call a professional such as Jones & Associates to help you with the task.

 

(Info from Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency, ENERGY STAR, Published January 30, 2013)