Though there are many reasons to maximize your home’s energy efficiency, there’s one, less-known incentive to doing so. Tax season may be over, but there is still time to claim some wonderful tax credits if you’ve upgraded to ENERGY STAR® windows or are planning to by the end of 2021.

Aside from the proven energy cost savings, added comfort to your home, and benefits for the environment, there’s more great reasons to purchase ENERGY STAR certified windows. According to ENERGY STAR, homeowners who replace poorly performing windows with those that are ENERGY STAR certified are eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent of cost, up to $200 (not including installation). And don’t worry, it isn’t necessary to replace all your windows to receive this benefit because one window replacement alone qualifies you. It’s also worth mentioning that the new window can be installed in a wall where a window did not previously exist. So update that boring side of your house you don’t use and add in a stylish, high-performance window you’ll love for years to come.

How to Apply for ENERGY STAR Tax Credits

There are more than 75 categories of ENERGY STAR products, which together can help you and your family use up to 30 percent less energy in your home. Whether you’re upgrading your windows or outfitting your entire house with energy-saving solutions, ENERGY STAR products are independently certified to save energy, reduce costs, and protect the environment.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) manages all tax credits. To claim them, you will need to fill out Tax Form 5695. To access the form and for detailed instructions with additional information, visit the IRS website or contact them with any questions.

Quality You Can Feel

Recognized as a long-time ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year recipient and having earned the Sustained Excellence Award year after year, SoftLite is a proud manufacturer of the highest quality ENERGY STAR products available on the market today. Offering a wide variety of windows and doors that far exceed industry standards, such as our double-hung windows, we intimately understand the benefits of having superior energy performance in your home. SoftLite’s has a Manufacturer’s Certificate of energy-efficient windows and doors for homeowners to download that outlines all of its products that qualify.

The Department of Energy estimates that heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25 to 30 percent of residential heating and cooling energy use. Older, leaky windows generate higher utility costs and allow drafts that cause discomfort in colder and hotter months. To combat this, today’s modern, energy-efficient windows are engineered and rigorously tested to prevent air leakage and help keep your home cool or warm when you need it. Equipped with additional benefits like Low-E coatings and gas infills between multiple panes of quality glass, SoftLite windows offer superior insulation and enhanced thermal performance — with excellent energy efficiency and air infiltration ratings to match!

We can truly go on for days about the endless benefits of energy-efficient windows, but when upgrading your home with ENERGY STAR products like ours, the financial benefits go beyond energy savings. Thanks to federal tax credits retroactively available until the end of the year, there’s more than one way to save money. Looking for the right window replacement choice for your home? Speak with a SoftLite dealer today to get started.