Sunday, December 30, 2007

What we talked about on the show this weekend

The Sites I promised that will allow you to check and see if your home needs improvements

To help, Energy Star recently released an online tool, the Energy Star Home Advisor, which can help homeowners decide which improvements to make by entering in information including zip code, how the home is heated and the type of water heater in the home. A link to the tool can be found on the Energy Star Web site, www.energystar.gov.

Remember, too, that some projects are eligible for federal income tax credits if they're done before the end of the year.

The maximum tax credit is $500. There are qualifications and rules for each improvement; homeowners can get a credit for 10% of insulation materials, for example. Other improvements eligible for credits include exterior window and door replacements. See www.ase.org/taxcredits for more details.