LAST CHANCE TO EARN BIG TAX CREDIT ON A NEW GARAGE DOOR

The four years of tax credit eligibility for qualified garage doors will expire on Dec. 31, 2010. Now is your last chance to save 30 percent off the price of an energy-saving curb-appeal-inspiring garage door, courtesy of the U.S. government.

The savings come from a federal income tax credit, which is more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction, because a tax credit reduces your tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only decreases the amount of income that is taxed. Through the end of this year, the U.S. government is offering up to a $1,500 tax credit for homeowners who buy and install qualifying insulated garage doors. Full details can be found at firstudt.com, the site for 1^st United Door Technologies, a manufacturer of residential and commercial garage doors.

The government is encouraging everyone to save energy, and the tax credit is an incentive for homeowners. If your home has an attached garage, you’ve probably noticed that the room next to the garage is typically the coldest room in the winter and hottest in the summer. That’s because the winter’s cold and summer’s heat can enter the house through the garage, which increases the amount of energy your home needs for heating and cooling. That’s why insulated garage doors can make a difference in reducing your heating and cooling bills, and saving our valuable energy resources.

Getting Your Share of the Tax Credit

Tax credits are available for qualifying garage door purchases placed in service by Dec. 31, 2010. A taxpayer may claim a maximum of 30 percent of qualifying home improvement products, and a maximum of $1,500 for qualifying purchases in 2009 and 2010. (Note: the tax credits were also offered in 2006 and 2007.) For example, if you replace two garage doors with two new qualifying insulated doors that cost $1,000 each, you may claim a tax credit of $300 per door, or a total of $600, provided you have not exceeded the $1,500 total over the two years of the tax credit period.

To be eligible for the tax credit:

•  The door must be an insulated residential garage door, installed on an insulated garage.
• The door must have a U-factor and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) equal to or less than 0.30, even if the door contains windows.
• The door perimeter must have a means to control air infiltration.
• The door must be expected to remain in service for at least five years.
• The garage must be part of the taxpayer’s principal U.S. residence.

An Appealing Improvement

Beyond saving you tax dollars and energy expenses, a new garage door can also add curb appeal and value to your home. Because an attached garage can comprise a third or more of the front of your home, a new garage door can make a dramatic statement. Over the past several years 1^st United Door Technologies introduced carriage house garage doors that reflect the look of days gone by and provide a touch of charm and elegance to the home. A new garage door can also increase the value of your home. One survey shows that 71 percent of homeowners who replaced their garage doors felt that it increased the value of their home.

DON’T Do It Yourself

Garage door installation is best left to the pros. Why? Your garage door is more than just a door – it’s a system that includes springs, cables, rollers, tracks and other hardware. This system is under high tension that can cause severe injury or even death if improperly installed. In short, it’s not a job for the weekend warrior. To properly install, or even repair, a garage door system, an experienced professional is always your best bet.

Garage Door Replacement Can Add Increased Value, Beauty, Function and Energy Efficiency to a Home

With utility costs and concerns about the welfare of the environment on the rise, many homeowners are considering energy efficient products in their homes.

Whether building a new home or replacing products within an existing residence, moving to energy efficient products is helpful in saving long term money on utilities. To that end, as garages are often a sizable attachment to the residential space of a house, the use of an energy efficient garage door can help with utility costs and noise reduction. Determining the usefulness of an energy efficient garage door for a home can be a useful step when planning a garage door replacement.

Prime reasons for purchasing an energy efficient garage door replacement are directly related to how the garage will be used, as well as its location in relation to the house. Homes that share an interior wall with the garage will often benefit from such measures, as the warm or cool air from the garage can radiate into the home. In these cases, homeowners will choose energy efficient products in the hopes of lowering energy costs.

In determining how energy efficient a particular door may be, the important things to consider are how much air a door allows to leak through as well as what is known as the U-factor. The U-factor is typically used with windows as a measurement of how well the product insulates. Lower numbers, in this case, are better. Often, garage doors are marketed with an R-value, which is also a gauge of insulation capabilities, but this number should be higher rather than lower. Leakiness is also an important factor, as the warm or cool air coming through the small spaces between the door panels can affect how climate-controlled the space will be.

Some homeowners, however, will not see the need to further protect their garage from changes in climate. If the garage is detached from the home, or is used solely for storage, it is not as necessary to go with an energy efficient garage door. In these instances, the deciding factors can be left to the desired appearance and reliability for the home. Regardless of whether a home’s residents decide on a garage door based upon its energy efficiency or other factors, it is helpful to be aware of the attributes that make a door the best it can be.

Garage Door Replacement Can Add Increased Value, Beauty, Function and Energy Efficiency to a Home  and is a worthwhile consideration.

Replacing a garage door in 2010 won’t just add style and curb appeal to your home – it can also save you money off the bottom line (up to $1500) of your income taxes. Many of 1st United Door Technologies insulated garage doors qualify for the energy tax credit under section 25C of the International Energy Conservation Code.

Download information and manufacturers certificate here.

Garage Door Tax Credits

Replacing a garage door in 2010 won’t just add style and curb appeal to your home – it can also save you money off the bottom line (up to $1500) of your income taxes.

The stimulus legislation signed by President Obama on Feb, 17, 2009 provides tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements, including qualifying insulated garage doors. That means that adding a new garage door in 2009 or 2010 can save you money by helping to lower home energy consumption and costs, AND it will help pay for itself this year through the tax credit incentive.

The Time to Buy is Now

Homeowners now have another significant reason to buy qualifying insulated residential garage doors – a tax credit. Tax credits are more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because a tax credit reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only decreases the amount of income that is taxed.

How to Identify an Eligible Garage Door

To be eligible for the tax credit, the purchased garage door must meet all of the following criteria:

• The tax credits are available for garage door purchases “placed in service” from Jan. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2010.
• Your tax credit is based on the total material cost of the purchase (the cost of installation does not qualify). The tax credit is equal to the sum of 30 percent of all qualified energy-saving improvements installed in an existing home in the calendar years of 2009 and 2010.
• The maximum amount a taxpayer may claim is $1500 over the lifetime of the tax credit.
• The door must have a U-factor (rate of heat loss) equal to or less than 0.30. Ask your professional dealer/installer if your door qualifies. You will need a manufacturer’s certification statement and a breakdown of the material and labor costs.
• The door must be an insulated residential garage door.
• It must be installed on an insulated garage. The envelope of the space must be insulated including walls and ceiling space.
• The door perimeter must have a means to control air infiltration (hot/cold mechanical ventilation).
• The door must be expected to remain in service for at least five years.
• The garage must be part of the taxpayer’s principal U.S. residence.

Insulated garage doors can make a noticeable difference in the temperature of your home. If your home has an attached garage, chances are the room next to your garage is one of the coldest rooms in the winter. Cold air in the winter (and warm air in the summer) can sneak in through the garage and into your home, increasing the amount of energy your home needs for heating and air conditioning. In addition to saving homeowners money and energy, new garage doors can be a stylish way to improve a home’s appearance and value.

For more online information on the garage door tax credit, check out:

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov

Energy Star’s Comments about the Tax Credit & Garage Doors – http://www.energystar.gov

First United Door Technologies Home Page – http://www.firstudt.com