by Taha E.H | Oct 23, 2022 | Energy Saving, Projects, Protecting Your Home
Technically no, but they do qualify you for a tax credit—up to $500.
Did you know that investing in energy-efficient windows can save you money on taxes?
It’s true, because of the new Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Thanks to this new law, investing in certain energy efficient home improvements makes you eligible for hundreds of dollars in tax credits.
What’s the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022?
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has roots in 2021, when Rep. John Yarmuth introduced the Build Back Better Act. The Build Back Better Act underwent some changes and revisions before being reintroduced to Congress. It had been renamed the Inflation Reduction Act by the time it passed the Senate—with amendments—in August 2022.
The goal of the Inflation Reduction Act is to curb inflation via a few key strategies:
- Deficit reduction.
- Prescription drug price reduction.
- Clean energy and domestic energy investments.
The Act also covers some modernization efforts for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
How do the tax credits work?
First, let’s talk about the difference between a tax credit and a tax deduction.
- A tax deduction is any expense that you do not have to pay taxes on. For example, any money you spend on medical expenses is considered tax deductible. That money is not included when calculating what you owe.
- A tax credit is, in simplified terms, money deducted from what you owe. For example, if you have kids, you may receive a child care tax credit of $8000. A $8000 tax credit doesn’t change how your taxable income is calculated. It simply subtracts $8000 from what you owe. It’s like receiving a gift card for the IRS.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, some home improvement expenses that boost the home’s energy efficiency are eligible for tax credits. This includes:
- Geothermal heating systems.
- Solar panels.
- Energy-efficient doors and windows.
- Biomass stoves.
- Metal or asphalt roofs.
- Many others.
If you buy and install energy-efficient windows by December 31, 2022, you’re eligible for a tax credit. Specifically, you’re eligible for a tax credit of 10% of the cost, up to $500. The limit used to be $200, so this is great news for homeowners.
However, these numbers only apply through the remainder of 2022. Starting in 2023, the benefits become even more attractive. You could receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost of new windows, up to $600. If you spend as little as $2000 on energy efficient windows, you’ll recoup $600 via a tax credit.
What are the other benefits of energy-efficient windows?
Energy-efficient windows offer countless benefits for homeowners.
For starters, these windows are specifically engineered to prevent air from leaking into and out of the house. For example, on a summer day, your energy-efficient windows keep out that hot air. This saves your air conditioner from having to work double-time to keep you cool and comfortable. The reverse is true in winter: Your heater isn’t constantly fighting against frigid air leaking in through old windows. As a result, your energy bill is lower.
That’s not the only way energy-efficient windows can put money back in your pocket. Energy-efficient windows can boost your home’s resale value. According to Remodeling Magazine, you can recoup 67% of the cost of energy-efficient windows when you sell.
The aesthetic benefits are appealing, too. Energy-efficient windows are often made from vinyl materials. Vinyl is tough, easy to clean, and highly customizable, plus you can get the exact color, style, and look you want. Vinyl also happens to be a great insulator and can cut down on outside noise disrupting your peaceful evening.
Now is the time to take advantage of the tax credit before the end of the year. You can find out more here.
Call us today to discuss your replacement window options.
by Taha E.H | Aug 4, 2021 | Uncategorized, Energy Saving, Exterior Coating
Let’s talk about ways to reduce your electricity bill during the blazing Texas summers.
While there are many great things about living in The Lone Star state, the summer heat is no joke.
And with record-breaking temperatures in recent years, it’s tough to find a balance between keeping cool and keeping your electricity bill manageable.
Today, we’re sharing some top strategies for saving energy during the summer heat. From small daily habits to meaningful home upgrades, here are a few ideas for you to try.
Don’t turn on the stove.
These first two ideas may seem inconsequential, but it’s a game of inches each day that add up to monthly savings.
Burners and ovens kick out a ton of heat, which puts your overworked AC into overdrive and makes for a sweaty experience cooking dinner. Instead, opt for salads and sandwiches, or fire up the grill outside.
Get creative: Try grilling pizza or fresh fruit kebabs. Air fryers and Instapots offer a cooler option too. For a real treat that’ll help you keep cool, we recommend a DIY sundae bar.
Wash with cold water and hang-dry your laundry outside
Heating up water accounts for nearly 90% of your washing machine’s electricity use. Choosing to wash in cold water instead can make a dramatic difference in your energy bill. And while clothes dryers are a modern miracle of convenience, they run hot and are actually harder on clothing than using clothesline.
If you have the space for a clothesline in your backyard, try hanging some of your laundry outside to dry instead. It’s free, it won’t turn your laundry room into a sauna, and you just can’t beat that fresh-air, clean-laundry smell.
Invest in Del Mar windows to reduce your electricity bill
Windows play a major role in maintaining the temperature of your home, and not all windows are created equal. A leaky window lets the Texas heat in and the air conditioning out, making it much harder to keep your home cool without breaking the bank.
Energy efficient windows from Del Mar use special coatings, sophisticated thermal barriers, and other insulation technology to seal in the cool air and deflect heat away.
This puts much less strain on your AC and saves you from the mental anguish of paying for conditioned air that just goes, quite literally, out the window.
Additionally, Del Mar windows are sleek, elegant, and attractive, so you don’t have to sacrifice looks for energy savings.
Make the switch from traditional house paint to COOLWALL® Exterior Coating
This is the biggest cost item on our list, but it also offers the biggest bang for the buck.
Your house can absorb up to 90% of the sun’s radiant heat. On a hot Texas day, that can be uncomfortable at best, dangerous at worst, and always expensive from an air conditioning perspective.
Thankfully, there’s a way to bring that number way down. TEX-COTE® COOLWALL® exterior coatings use military-grade technology to deflect that heat before it has a chance to penetrate your home. As a result, your energy bill is lower and your entire family is more comfortable.
TEX-COTE® COOLWALL® exterior coatings are available in any color and slow to fade, so you still get that “freshly painted” look. Bonus: COOLWALL® exterior coatings last much longer than traditional paint, so you can save time, money, and hassle in the long run.
—
There are a lot of creative ways to endure the heat of a Texas summer without drowning in electrical bills. If you’re ready to upgrade your home and experience more comfort year-round, the experts at Texas Home Improvement can help you choose the right solutions for your needs.
by Taha E.H | Aug 1, 2020 | Energy Saving, Exterior Coating
DIY home improvement and house flipping have become incredibly idealized processes thanks to all the reality TV shows dedicated to it. When it comes to you and your home, however, a home improvement to-do list can get overwhelming incredibly fast. For anyone in Texas in the Dallas and Austin areas, please take this as a gentle reminder that you are not alone.
After being in the business of helping people fall back in love with their homes for over 20 years, Texas Home Improvement has learned a few things about home improvement they’d like to share with you.
- Do research on what you want but don’t let it overwhelm or prevent you from starting your project. Take replacing your windows, for example; it seems like it could be a pretty straightforward project, you pick a window you like and then out with the old in with the new. But you could spend hours searching online for the best deal and researching new window technology and never make a decision. Don’t get lost in the Internet abyss. For a window project we’d recommend starting with Anlin, and we have recommendations for all your other projects too.
- Don’t be afraid to make a big change and see it through. Committing to a room renovation or the addition of a patio room or sunroom generally means you’ll be starting from scratch at some point. Let yourself enjoy that moment and know that it doesn’t come around often. After adding one sunroom you probably won’t need to add another unless you move. So save up for it and then make it the way you’ve always dreamed it could be. Don’t commit to the change and then, halfway in, let fear prevent you from creating your vision or else you could end up with a reno you hate.
- Start with maintenance and work your way up to big projects. When working by yourself or with a contractor, it’s ok not to go straight into a full room renovation, roof replacement or complete window replacement. It’s ok to start small. One simple project with big results is applying an exterior coating to your house. By using revolutionary Tex-Cote Coolwall coating you can get a big reward for little inconvenience and reap the long-term rewards of reduced fading and upkeep maintenance, energy bill savings, and a long-lasting, beautiful exterior. Hear what a Fort Worth contractor had to say about Coolwall.
- Sometimes all you need is an upkeep inspection to point you in the right direction. Not sure what to do first? Pull a contractor in to look at your roof, your interior and exterior walls and windows, and all the big and small things in-between. Consultations and inspections exist to help point homeowners north again after getting mixed up in the many different home improvement directions you could go. Asking for an expert’s eye on where to start can provide the clarity you’ll need to start moving forward.
Finding the latest and greatest home improvement technology is Texas Home Improvement’s specialty. Don’t get overwhelmed by all that’s out there and embark on this journey alone. Our Texas Home Improvement family is here to help you and your family get what need to fully utilize the comfort of your house and make it feel like home. Contact us if you have any projects you want to work on or if you just need a little guidance; we’re always here to help.
by Taha E.H | Jul 20, 2020 | Exterior Coating, Energy Saving, Protecting Your Home
If the paint on your home is starting to peel or look faded, or you’re just ready for a new exterior look, it’s time to look at some exterior paint options for your home. Before you can begin, however, you need to make sure you choose the right paint for your home. The right paint looks fantastic now and resists fading, chipping, and peeling so your home looks great for many years.
Check the Paint on Your Home
If your home is already painted, it’s important to know what kind of paint is on your home. Most people won’t know if oil or water-based paint was used on their home. To find out, peel a paint chip off the home in an inconspicuous spot. Try to slowly break the piece. If it snaps easily, it’s likely an oil-based paint. Does it bend before breaking? Then, it’s likely a water-based paint.
Choose a Primer If Needed
If your home includes bare wood or other surfaces, a primer is going to be needed. Oil-based primers can be used with both oil and water-based paints. So, they’re often a good choice to make sure the paint adheres to your home properly. Water-based primers can be used on most surfaces as well but can only be used with water-based paints. If your home is partially painted but has some bare surfaces that will need to be painted, choose a primer that works with the type of paint you want to use on the remainder of the house.
Oil or Water-based Paint?
A big part of choosing which type of paint is knowing what type of paint is already on the home. If there is already water-based paint, do not use oil-based paint over it as it will likely crack or peel. If there is already oil-based paint, water or oil-based paint can be used.
Oil-based paint takes longer to dry, usually around 24 hours. It provides better adhesion than water-based, blocks stains better, and can be used over woods that have tannin or sap or over metals that might rust.
Water-based paints are acrylic or latex. They dry faster and are easier to clean up compared to oil paints. They are also flexible and breathable, so they’ll expand and contract with the siding when the weather changes and aren’t going to trap moisture that could cause the paint to peel or crack.
Specialty Exterior Paint Options
Specialty paints are available today that have been designed to work better than more traditional paints. While these can be a little more expensive, they provide many benefits and are often worth the cost. Specialty paints may be longer-lasting, able to resist fading better, and more moisture-resistant. This can help you save time and money on maintenance, avoid possible moisture issues, and enjoy the fresh-painted look longer.
Because of the heat, one option that is popular in Texas is TEX•COTE® COOLWALL® exterior coating systems. They use the same heat reflective technology the military uses to reduce the “heat signature” (the solar heat absorbed by planes and vehicles). TEX•COTE® COOLWALL® has been specially formulated to reflect solar heat by changing the invisible portion of the light spectrum, thereby helping to reflect heat without changing color.
If you’re tired of the paint on your home or it’s damaged and needs to be fixed, choosing the right paint is crucial. Take a look at your home to determine what type of paint you need, then check the specialty paints to find one that’s going to be the best option for your home.
by Taha E.H | Mar 2, 2020 | Patio Covers, Energy Saving
One of the most significant challenges of living in the Lone Star State is dealing with the fierce Texas heat in the summer. Living in the Southwest during the hottest months is draining for people, economically, physically, and mentally. The summer heat saps the energy right out of the body. Thankfully, for most Texas homeowners, relief from the summer blues is available in the form of patio covers, pergolas, and more enjoyable outdoor living space.
Patios Covers and Pergolas for Social Activity
Texans love the outdoors and fresh air. With the availability of recreational land high in Texas, it is easy to understand why many homeowners want to entertain in the open air when the weather and temperatures permit it. Patio covers increase the area of comfort that a house provides. Pergolas enhance the homeowner’s ability to entertain guests outside in comfort.
Most people in Texas make the most of the cooler morning hours. When the sun gets high, it becomes a scorching fireball that can cause heatstroke and sunburns. Fortunately, homeowners with patio covers avoid this distress with ease.
Patio covers are a roof structure that extends from the side of the home at the roofline. It usually covers at least one entrance to the house, often the back door to the garden. The flooring beneath incorporates a heat-quenching material such as decorative stone. Patio covers provide homeowners with protection from both rain and the heat of the sun. They likewise add immeasurably to the quality of life of those who enjoy grilling food outside or keeping pets outside.
Patio Covers and Pergolas for Better Utilities
Did you know patio covers do more than increase the amount of cool space outside the home? They also bring about a better utility bill for the entire house. The hottest living space in your home is usually its entry point during the summer. Patio covers provide a welcome stretch of shade in the perfect location.
Patio covers do more than offer a welcome respite to you and your guests alike. It offers the sheer relief of coming out of the hot sun. Patio covers keep the interior of a home cooler by blocking the sun from hitting the outer walls and windows of the home. These attributes, when combined, reduce the overall temperatures inside the home by as much as ten degrees.
Because the air entering from the entry point is less heated, and the room no longer baked by direct sunlight, the air conditioner doesn’t work as hard trying to keep the rest of the house comfortable. Most of the work that an air conditioning system does is because of air leaks and having to convert hot outside air to the desired temperature setting on a thermostat.
Patio covers lower the interior temperatures of a home in the summertime by as much as ten degrees, on average. This drop easily translates to hundreds and even thousands of dollars a year in electricity savings, depending upon the size of the house.
Outdoor Fires: Pergolas vs. Patio Covers
Texans love the Earth’s essential wonders as much as they love the outdoors itself. They like nothing better than to prepare a bonfire and cook over an open flame. When it comes to patio covers and pergolas, there is a distinct advantage to choosing a pergola to shelter your outdoor bonfire.
Pergolas are freestanding structures that do not always attach to the home. They are a hardscape feature, and other landscaping and garden design considerations must take it into account. Pergolas are particularly well-suited for outdoor fires because of the open spaces in their roofs. Some pergolas have retractable roofs.
This retractable roof is of critical importance if one is to have a fire. A fire burned beneath a patio covers eventually soils the underside of the cover with soot and ash. Most patio cover manufacturers discourage their use with open fires unless properly contained and vented. While the area around the central opening in a pergola canopy may require cleaning from time to time, it will ultimately be far less maintenance than cleaning the ceiling side of a patio cover.
It is unfortunate that wood fires are incompatible with patio covers, but safety is always the first consideration. Covered patios designed to incorporate a fireplace usually use gas logs. Gas logs have the benefit of being easy to use.
Patio Cover or Pergola?
The main benefit of a patio fireplace is its low maintenance, especially if it runs on propane or natural gas. Patio fireplaces see more use than pergola fire pits, although people like to gather around both. If nobody is a purist, they will discover it is easier to turn on gas logs than it is to source and stack firewood.
While convenience is the crucial benefit of patio fireplaces, their major drawback is that they are not as good for cooking. Having a pergola means that you can invite all your closest friends over and roast food over a wood fire in a circle. This feat is not workable with a patio space.
Although some specially designed patio covers can incorporate a circular fire pit upon request. Homeowners that like to have a lot of campfires would be better off to choose a pergola if possible.
In Conclusion
The daytime temperatures in Texas are often brutal, and the summertime electricity bills, exorbitant. A patio cover will significantly improve the quality of your life and the overall temperature of your home. Lower temperatures mean lower electric bills.
Pergolas and patio covers enhance social well-being and mental health and resale value of your home. Excessive heat is bad for the brain and psyche. Campfires and fellowship are good for the soul. For those whose primary goal for an extended outdoor living space is to have lots of wood fires for cooking, pergolas are best. For those that want to bask in the orange glow of a convenient open flame, a patio cover with a gas-powered fireplace might be a better option.
A person’s life quality depends on how they spend their time. A pergola or a patio cover increases the quality of both a person’s time and their current lifestyle. Before the summer heat takes off in the first year of the new “roaring 20s,” every Texas homeowner ought to survey their property and consider what benefits a pergola or patio cover might provide their outdoor living space.
by Taha E.H | Dec 3, 2019 | Exterior Paint, Energy Saving
Are you considering repainting your home? Ever considered heat reflective paint? Go beyond having the perfect color … save money on your energy bill, too! Texas Home Improvement utilizes TEX•COTE® COOLWALL® exterior coating systems. This is the same heat reflective technology used by the military to reduce the “heat signature” (the solar heat absorbed by planes and vehicles). A cooler house means less air conditioner use, which lowers carbon dioxide emissions.
Compared to traditional paint, here are the benefits of using heat reflective paint:
- Longer lasting, so save time and money on maintenance
- More reflective, so you save on energy bills
- Fade resistant, so you enjoy the “freshly painted” appearance
- More moisture resistant, so you avoid possible moisture issues
- Get a lifetime warranty on Coolwall exterior coating
If you live in Austin or the Dallas Fort Worth area and would like more information on exterior coating, give us a call or contact us below.
Call Now: 817-488-9966 in Dallas / Ft. Worth or 512-766-9696 in Austin.
