The 25C Energy Tax Credits: Not Much Time Left to Use Them

It’s important to keep your Orlando home comfortable year round, but it’s also important to save some money whenever you can. The 25C federal energy tax credits were retroactively reinstated at the beginning of 2013, for both this year and 2012, but they are expiring soon.

These credits can give you up to 10 percent back on your investment in energy-efficient equipment (capped at $500), so they can be a big incentive for upgrading inefficient equipment and weatherization in your home.

For most qualified energy-efficient upgrades, Dec. 31, 2013 is the cutoff to receive these tax credits. Any heating or air conditioning systems that meet minimum efficiency standards, as well as upgraded windows, insulation and other qualified improvements, must be purchased and installed by then.

If you plan on installing a geothermal heat pump, a small wind turbine or a solar energy system, federal energy tax credits will be available until Dec. 31, 2016. These systems qualify for a credit of 30 percent, with no upward limit.

If you plan on adding a microturbine system with fuel cells, you also have until the end of 2016 to qualify for energy tax credits. The tax benefits are significant for these types of installations, and the later deadline gives you time to research whether a microturbine is the right choice for your home.

Making your Orlando area home more energy efficient is a great choice for a number of reasons. Year-round comfort for your family is an immediate benefit, and reducing your carbon footprint is vital on a large scale. The best part is that some of these retrofits are attached to significant energy tax credits. If you have any questions, please contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions. Our friendly staff has been serving Central Florida for 42 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about tax credits and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock