Expert Advice on Window Replacement -Home Improvement Radio Team Develops Replacement Window Guide
PARKERSBURG, W. VA. – Looking for a home improvement project with a strong “return on investment?” Then consider replacing your windows. According to home improvement expert Tom Kraeutler, a window replacement project can provide both immediate and long-term payback for consumers.
Kraeutler and his co-host Leslie Segrete, who together have authored the book, My Home, My Money Pit, worked with window experts at Simonton Windows® to create a new bonus chapter for their book entitled “Your Complete Replacement Window Guide.” The downloadable eight-page consumer guide is available for free at www.moneypit.com and offers an abundance of tips for homeowners considering a window replacement project.
“Homeowners actually receive TRIPLE savings when replacing drafty, older windows,” says Tom Kraeutler, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show, The Money Pit. “First, from the day they’re installed, energy efficient windows help save on both heating and cooling bills. Second, upgraded windows add resale value to your home. And third, when you select windows with .30 or less U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) you’re eligible for up to $1,500 tax credit in 2009 or 2010 from the U.S. government. That’s a trifecta of savings!”
Kraeutler and Segrete compiled all the key pieces of information a homeowner needs, from shopping for windows to understanding glass packages to details on the new tax credits. “In this one resource a person can learn what to expect during the installation of windows and how to maintain them,” says Kraeutler. “Basically, this is the essential one-stop booklet for anyone interested in upgrading their home’s windows and saving on their long-term energy bills!”
$1,500 Tax Credit Makes Replacing Windows a Timely Project
“There’s never been a better time to consider making energy saving improvements to your home,” says Kraeutler. According to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, homeowners can gain a tax credit of up to 30 percent of the cost of qualifying energy efficient upgrades to a maximum of $1,500 per household for 2009 and 2010. The new law has some very specific restrictions, including:
- Windows purchased must be equal to, or below, a U Factor of 0.30 and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.30.
- The purchase of the qualified windows must be made during the taxable year for which the credit is being claimed.
- The credit is only allowed on the price of the qualified windows themselves, not on installation costs, onsite preparation, assembly or sales tax.
- The tax credit is allowable only for qualified window units placed in service in 2009 and 2010.
Homeowners interested in purchasing windows that qualify for the tax credit can visit www.simonton.com/taxcredit for a full listing of products featuring Energy Tax Credit (ETC) glass packages. All Simonton products ordered with the ETC glass packages are certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) to meet the U-factor and SHGC rating of 0.30 or less, the energy ratings stated by the U.S. government that are required for homeowners to take advantage of the $1,500 energy tax credit.
Three competitively priced ETC glass package options are available on select Simonton products and styles, each providing optimal thermal performance and energy efficiency. The ETC Starter 366 glass package includes a 3/4-inch I.G. Unit, Intercept® spacer system, Argon gas fill and LoĒ³-366® glass. The ETC Super Solar glass package includes a 7/8-inch I.G. Unit, Super Spacer®, Argon gas fill and ProSolar™ Soft Coat Low E Glass. The ETC Super 366 glass package includes a 7/8-inch I.G. Unit, Super Spacer, Argon gas fill and LoĒ³-366 glass.
“Investing in energy-efficient Simonton windows is one of the most positive ways I know of to gain a return on investment for the home,” says Kraeutler. “Home improvement projects are definitely an adventure in life. Homeowners are the winners when they make smart moves that pay off year after year --- and replacement windows definitely fall into this category.”
The Money Pit is the nation’s largest home improvement radio show and is heard on more than 200 stations each weekend. More than half a million visitors view the www.moneypit.com site each month to gain valuable home improvement tips. The one-stop resource also features The Money Pit’s pod cast, which is the #1 ranked home improvement pod cast on-air today with more than 200,000 downloads monthly.
Simonton Windows produces ENERGY STAR® qualified replacement and new construction windows and doors, including a line of impact-resistant products. Simonton ranked “Highest in Builder and Remodeler Satisfaction among Residential Window and Patio Door Manufacturers” in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Builder and Remodeler Residential Window and Patio Door Satisfaction StudySM. The company was ranked #1 in quality in the 2007 Brand Use Study sponsored by Builder magazine and has won three Best In Class Awards from Market Research Associates.
Founded in 1946, Simonton’s hallmark has been to deliver its made-to-order products in five days or less. Part of the home and hardware division of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), Simonton delivers nationwide to key markets throughout the 48 continental United States.
Simonton is a founding sponsor of The Weather Museum and a corporate partner of Homes for Our Troops. For information, call (800) SIMONTON or visit www.simonton.com.
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Simonton Windows received the highest numerical score in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates/McGraw-Hill Construction 2008 Builder and Remodeler Residential Window and Patio Door Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on 2,837 new-home builders and remodelers. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of new home builders and remodelers surveyed in May through June 2008. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.