Now’s the best time to upgrade your home’s heating and cooling system if you want to take advantage of the available federal tax credits for energy efficiency upgrades. In order to claim these credits on your 2014 federal tax return, you must purchase and have your new system in service by December 31, 2013. If you wait too long, you may miss out on savings of up to $500 if eligible.
What’s Covered Under the Tax Credit Program?
You can receive a tax credit for replacing any of the following:
Central air conditioners
– $300 credit
- Split system upgrades must have a minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 16 and a minimum energy efficiency ratio (EER) or 13
- Package system upgrades must rate 14 SEER or higher and have at least a 12 EER
Furnaces or boilers
– $150 credit
- Qualifying furnaces can be fueled by either natural gas, oil or propane and must have a minimum annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 95.
Air source heat pump
– $300 credit
- Split system upgrades must rate 15 SEER or higher and have at least a 12.5 EER and heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) of 8.5.
- Package system upgrades must rate 14 SEER or higher and have at least a 12 EER and 8 HSPF
Carrier Systems Eligible for Tax Credits
You can’t go wrong when choosing a high efficiency air conditioning system, such as one of the split system units from Carrier’s Infinity Series. These units offer some of the highest SEER ratings available in the industry, with a range of ratings from 16 to 21.
The Infinity and Performance Series of gas furnaces offer energy-efficient split system models with AFUE ratings of 96 and above. You’ll immediately enjoy savings on heating bills once you have one of these systems installed.
For more information on making the most out of your tax credits for energy efficiency, contact the heating experts at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. We’re proud to provide HVAC services to homeowners throughout Baldwin County.
