It isn’t easy being a homeowner right now. The country is only just beginning to recover from the biggest economic crises since the great depression, home values are way down, unemployment is high, and things just keep getting more expensive; including energy bills. There are lot’s of great ways to reduce our energy consumption, helping both the planet and our wallet; from energy efficient light bulbs to hybrid cars. But one of the biggest energy wasters is usually also the most overlooked – the Garage Door.
Our homes are insulated to keep the elements out and comfortable temperature in. We install insulated windows and doors so that we can access our homes without compromising the energy efficiency. But what about the garage door? It’s basically the biggest door in the house, shouldn’t it be energy efficient too?
Say you have a garage door in Chicago, a city notorious for cold winters. If your door isn’t properly insulated, your garage is going to feel like an ice box. And while you might not care what it feels like in the garage, you probably do care if a bedroom next to it is cold. An energy efficient garage door will put a stop to that cold air invading your home, driving up your energy usage.
Thankfully the US Government doesn’t want us wasting energy any more than we do, so Uncle Sam is incenting homeowners with an Energy Tax Credit. The Energy Tax Credit, effective until end of 2010, allows homeowners to claim a 30% tax credit on qualifying home improvement costs; you can get up to $1,500 back. Think of it as “Cash For Clunkers” but for your old garage doors & windows.
By installing new energy efficient garage doors, some of which are 80% recycled wood composite, you can effectively reduce your energy bill and go green. But not all doors qualify as energy efficient. You can either call up your installer directly and ask them if what you are considering qualifies. Or this San Diego Garage Door installation company put together a list of the different different manufacturers, arranged with model numbers, of all qualifying doors.
It’s time to go green with your garage door, and start saving green too. Remember, the tax credit is good until the end of the year. So take advantage of it and make those home upgrades you have been holding off on before it’s too late.
Source: Energy Star
Photo Source: Precision Door
About Chris Keenan
Efficiency should be taken into consideration together with indoor-air-quality. Mechanical ventilation balancing positive and negative air pressures with attached garages are crucial for healthy indoor environmental quality. Preventing the air from the garage from entering the living space is something that should be resolved at the design stage.
Efficiency should be taken into consideration together with indoor-air-quality. Mechanical ventilation balancing positive and negative air pressures with attached garages are crucial for healthy indoor environmental quality. Preventing the air from the garage from entering the living space is something that should be resolved at the design stage.