Want to get a tax credit on your new doors and windows? Use this guide to read their energy ratings labels.
Want to get a tax credit on your new doors and windows? Use this guide to read their energy ratings labels.When you buy Energy Star-labeled doors and windows, one of the benefits of installing them is becoming eligible for a federal tax credit – right? Theoretically, but it turns out not all windows and doors with this labeling are approved for these tax savings. In order to be eligible for the credit, doors and windows need to have a rating equal to or less that 0.3 for two of the measurements supplied by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).
The NFRC is a nonprofit that the industry relies on for rating windows and doors. They rate both U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). If you want to get a tax credit for your new window or door, you need to choose one that has a rating of 0.3 or less in both of those categories.
U-Factor measures how much heat will escape the window or door. The lower the U-Factor rating, the better that window or door will be at insulating your home against the cold outside, lowering your home’s overall energy usage.
SHGC measures how much solar radiation (i.e. heat) your window or door lets in. The lower the SHGC, the better your home will be at keeping cool during the summer.
When you have U-Factor and SHGC ratings of 0.3 or less on your doors and your windows, you can rest easy the government will throw some money your way to help with their cost.
Energy ratings can be a bit complicated thanks to the plethora of stickers decorating doors and windows today. Talk to an expert to make sure you won’t miss out on tax credits when you install your new doors and windows. For that kind of expertise in Westlake Village and throughout Ventura County, California, contact Agoura Sash & Door today.