Learn about 2009 window and door tax credits

March 11, 2009

This week Pella summarized some of the new tax credits for energy improvements. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed into law Feb. 17, 2009 includes tax credits for qualifying energy-saving home improvements. Immediately replacing the previous Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 tax credit for ENERGY STAR® windows and doors, the new stimulus bill significantly raises performance requirements for windows and doors qualifying for credits.

Eligible window and door products now have to be equal to or below a 0.30 U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.30 for all U.S. climate zones.
- The U-Factor measures heat transmission through a window or door — a lower U-Factor equals better insulation.
- SHGC measures how well a window or door blocks heat from sunlight. The lower the value the better the unit keeps out solar heat.
- We have some good information on decoding window specifications on GetWithGreen.com
Between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2010, U.S. homeowners may claim a tax credit up to 30 percent of the cost of qualifying replacement windows and doors installed in their principal residence, not exceeding $1,500.
The tax credit applies to the price of qualifying windows and doors, but does not cover installation, on-site preparation, assembly or sales tax.
You can find the qualifying Pella products at Window Tax Credit. (How bummed am I that I bought my Pella Designer windows in November of last year!?)

*Please be sure to consult your tax professional to determine if the windows you purchase are eligible for the U.S. tax credit.

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