$1,500 Energy Tax Credit Available for Homeowners Making Energy Efficient Improvements to Existing Homes

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides tax incentives for individuals to invest in energy-efficient products. Residential Energy Property Credit (Section 1121): The new law increases the energy tax credit for homeowners who make energy efficient improvements to their existing homes and increases the credit rate to 30 percent of the cost of all qualifying improvements and raises the maximum credit limit to $1,500 for improvements placed in service in 2009 and 2010.

The credit applies to improvements such as replacement siding, adding insulation, energy efficient exterior windows and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems.

For property purchased before June 1, 2009, homeowners generally can rely on the manufacturers' certifications and Energy Star labels that were available at the time for those products. Manufacturers have been advised that they should not continue to provide certifications for property that fails to meet the new standards.

For information on energy-efficient products, visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Energystar Web site; not all Energy Star products qualify for the tax incentive.