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November 15th - America Recycles Day

The use of electronic products has grown substantially over the past two decades, changing the way and the speed in which we communicate and how we get information and entertainment. Our growing reliance on electronics is illustrated by some remarkable figures. According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Americans own approximately 24 electronic products per household.

The EPA is working to educate consumers and others on why it is important to reuse and recycle electronics and what the options are for safe reuse and recycling of these products. State and local governments, manufacturers, and retailers, who are already aware of the pressing need to better manage these materials, are providing more opportunities to recycle and reuse this equipment. Many computer manufacturers, TV manufacturers, and electronics retailers offer some kind of take back program or sponsor recycling events. Many states have passed some sort of legislation to manage end-of-life electronics, and more are expected to follow suit.

Click Here to see who excepts electronic recycling in your neighborhood.

HVAC EE Federal Tax Credit-The Low Down

On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed into law the “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.”
This bill extended tax credits for energy efficient home improvements (windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, and non-solar water heaters).

Tax credits for these residential products, which had expired at the end of 2007, will now be available for improvements made during 2009. Not all ENERGY STAR qualified homes and products qualify for a tax credit. These tax credits are available for a number of products at the highest efficiency levels, which typically cost much more than standard products.Home improvement tax credits are available for home improvements “placed in service” from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. Any qualified home improvements made in 2008 are not eligible for the tax credit. The maximum amount that a taxpayer may claim from all of these tax credits combined is $500 over the lifetime of the tax credit (2006, 2007 & 2009).

For HVAC, the following guidelines apply.
Product Type: Central A/C
Tax Credit Specification:Split Systems:
EER >=12.5 (Energy Efficiency Ratio)
SEER >= 15(Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)

Package systems:
EER >= 12
SEER >= 14
Tax Credit: $300
Note: For a list of qualified products, go to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency product directory ENERGY STAR, click on the Air Conditioners and in the “CEE Tier” enter “Residential Tier 2.


Product Type: Gas, Oil, Propane Furnace or Hot Water Boiler
Tax Credit Specification:
Furnaces:
AFUE >= 95 (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)The AFUE is the most widely used measure of a furnace's heating efficiency. It measures the amount of heat actually delivered to your house compared to the amount of fuel that you must supply to the furnace. Thus, a furnace that has an 80% AFUE rating converts 80% of the fuel that you supply to heat -- the other 20% is lost out of the chimney.
Boiler:
AFUE >= 95
Tax Credit:$150
Note:For a list of qualifying products go to the Gas Appliance Manufacturing Association ENERGY STAR
Use IRS Form 5695
Please join me on Home&Yard Radio with the Fixie Chick Saturday morning at 10:00am for more energy saving ideas. SportsRadio 950 ESPN.
Thanks for reading.
-The Fixie Chick