Home-related tax credits were all the rage in 2010. When these expired on December 31, 2010, new tax credits were passed that you can take advantage of now until the end of the year. There’s no guarantee that these financial incentives will extend into next year, so now is the time to act. Here are some categories that are included in the tax credit this year.
If you have been experiencing problems with your indoor air quality or just don’t know what kind of air filter is best for your home, understanding what MERV is and how it impacts your home will help you solve these problems.
Your furnace is the most important determining factor in how warm you and your family will be able to stay in your house throughout this upcoming winter. That’s why it’s crucial that you are able to recognize when it’s time to repair or replace your heating system. You don’t want to waste money on repairs that will only buy you a short window of comfort, and you don’t want to jump the gun on a major purchase. Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether you should repair or replace your heating equipment.
If you own a home in the Twin Cities area and you’re considering an upgrade of your home’s HVAC system, you can receive thousands of dollars in savings with the Federal tax credits for energy efficiency. But don’t delay because these tax credits expire on Dec. 31, 2011.
Indoor air quality can negatively affect a person’s health and well-being. Breathing in too many particles such as dust, dander, mold and chemicals can cause a flare-up of allergies and asthma. These irritants cause inflammation of airways and can bring upon fatigue or respiratory illness. These are the best and easiest ways to improve your indoor air quality:
Selecting an HVAC contractor is an important decision when remodeling your home, or upgrading an older system. Perhaps you have a referral from a friend or received an advertising mailer from a local contractor. You’ve checked the Internet and you might have checked them out with the Better Business Bureau. But how do you know if any of them can really do the job professionally and properly?
With colder weather on the horizon, it might be time to think about replacing your furnace. You might think that buying a huge furnace would be the most effective way to keep a Twin Cities winter at bay. But when it comes to furnaces, bigger is not necessarily better. Buying a furnace that is too big for your home is not only less efficient but also will cost you more money initially.
Late summer and fall in Minnesota means another allergy season has arrived. In fact, from the middle of August to the first frost around October, you can suffer from symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, coughing and sneezing. Not very pleasant to say the least!
While your furnace may be the last thing on your mind as summer enters its home stretch, right now is an ideal time to perform routine furnace maintenance to be sure your heating system is ready to go when the cool weather arrives. Like your air conditioner, your furnace has filters that need regular cleaning or replacement during its active season. If your furnace has disposable filters, you’ll be shopping around for new ones, and you may be wondering about all the different ratings that apply to furnace filters. Which are the most important, and what do they mean?
Energy-Saving Tips to Prepare for Winter
Once winter descends upon the Twin Cities, there’s no relief until late spring. Therefore, you have to prepare ahead of time to maximize your energy saving. You might even be eligible for tax credits as you prepare for winter.
