Stained glass windows are not only for churches. The most common residential application of stained glass windows is in the entryways of homes. Stained glass window panels in a door, or on transom sidelights, beautify a front entrance, admitting light without compromising privacy.

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We know, we know: The economy’s iffy, jobs are tight, housing values aren’t what they once were. But if there were ever a perfect time to invest in your place by adding more insulation or replacing a creaky old water heater, it’s now. The economic stimulus package passed by Congress last February included a federal tax credit—not just a deduction, but a full-on credit—of 30 percent of the cost of all sorts of energy-saving systems, with a cap of $1,500 per house, if installed by the end of 2010. These upgrades pack the double benefit of slashing your utility bills while increasing your house’s long-term value, too.

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1. Build a clothesline
Next to your refrigerator, your dryer is likely the biggest energy-guzzling appliance in your house. And while we wouldn’t ask you to store your food in a vintage icebox, an old-fashioned clothesline is actually a pretty good idea. (If that sounds too retro, think of it as a “solar dryer” instead.)

You can buy a pulley kit like the one pictured here at the hardware store. Or you can order the components online. But it’s easy to make a traditional clothesline yourself, using 4×4 or 6×6 pressure-treated posts for the uprights and 2×8s for the cross arms (which don’t need to be pressure-treated). Simply notch the posts to receive the cross arms, set them in concrete, and run the lines on eye hooks between them. A 4- or 5-foot cross arm should give you enough room for five lengths of line, nicely spaced.

Lumber: $42
Hardware: $10
100 feet of line + 100 wood clothespins: $17
Total: $69

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Installing replacement basement windows can be a cost-effective way to improve moisture protection and energy efficiency in your home. At the same time, replacement basement windows can add light and appeal to a dark and cluttered space while improving the value of your home.

Evaluating replacement basement windows begins with energy performance ratings, considerations of size and local building requirements. Are the windows going to open or remain fixed? Be sure that any replacement windows provide security as well as ample egress in the case of emergencies. You’ll find a range of materials from vinyl and wood, to metal or composites.

Energy Ratings for Replacement Basement Windows
All replacement windows today carry ratings from The National Fenestration Rating Council. Generally speaking, you’ll want windows that perform well in terms of R-value, visible transmittance, air leakage, and U-value. U-value measures the window’s heat conduction, while R-value measures the actual resistance to heat flow. With replacement basement windows it’s best to find the models with the lowest U-values that fit your budget.

Then, consider functionality. If you have slider replacement basement windows you’ll have the widest opportunity to let in air. Hopper windows only tilt open, but are typically the most affordable option. Awning windows are frequently the most-expensive option, but can offer the greatest flexibility in controlling ventilation.

Many homeowners prefer using vinyl window frames to help fight moisture, rot, and mildew common to basements. Vinyl also tends to offer greater natural energy efficiency over other materials.

Windows let the sunshine in, but in many cases, they also let the heat in (or out, in the winter). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heat transfer through windows can account for 10 to 25 percent of your heating and air conditioning costs. Older, single-paned windows are the biggest energy wasters. Read more…

Many air leaks are easy to find because they are easy to feel – like those around windows, doors, and through electrical outlets. But hidden air leaks in attics, basements, and around chimneys are often more significant sources of energy loss. Consider addressing these big leaks first because they will have a greater impact on improving your comfort and reducing your utility bills. ENERGY STAR’s Home Sealing Do-It-Yourself Guide has great pictures and suggests places to look for these leaks. Visit ENERGY STAR Home Sealing for more information.

According to the National Association of Realtors, window replacements are among the home improvements offering the biggest return on investment. In fact, homeowners can generally expect to retrieve at least 70-80 percent of their investment in window replacements. That’s why Forbes calls window replacement a “recession-proof” home improvement. Learn the benefits of window replacement.

Consumer Tax Incentives: Insulation, Windows, Sealing

What is the tax credit for existing homes?
Existing homes are eligible for a series of efficiency measures. For some measures, such as insulation, a taxpayer can take a credit of up to 10% of the cost. There is a $500 cap on the credit per home, including the amount received for heating and cooling equipment, as described in the next section. Lower caps are set on credits for some individual measures.

These credits are available for buildings or systems placed in service from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2009.

Read an IRS summary of the credit: Click here

What is eligible for the federal tax credits?

Eligible measures are:

• Added insulation to walls, ceilings, or other part of the building envelope.
• Replacement windows and skylights: credit capped at $200.
• Window Films
• External doors
• Sealing cracks in the building shell and ducts to reduce infiltration and heat loss.
• Pigmented metal roofs, or an asphalt roof with appropriate cooling granules.

Only materials (insulation, windows, sealants, etc.) are eligible and not the labor to install these materials.

Efficiency levels that qualify for the incentive are:

• Added insulation and replacement doors to bring insulation and doors up to levels specified in the 2001 IECC model energy code.
• Replacement windows meeting the requirements in the 2000 IECC model energy code. Energy Star windows will always qualify. In addition, storm windows are eligible if the existing window plus the new storm window meet the window requirements in the 2001 IECC.
• Certain window films are eligible for the tax credit if the manufacturer certifies that the specific window film satisfies the requirements of a “qualifying insulation system,” and the manufacturer certifies the product as meeting those requirements, the product is eligible for the tax credit of 10% of the cost of the materials (not installation labor), up to the $500 cap.
• Sealing cracks and holes in the building shell and ducts – under the IECC these should be sealed so sealing remaining leaks is consistent with the IECC.
• Roofs: metal roofs with pigmented coatings or asphalt roofs with cooling granules must meet Energy Star requirements.

New- View IECC Climate Zones by state and county, and IECC 2004 Supplement Edition R-values and U-factors for insulation, windows, and doors (8MB PDF).

Manufacturers and retailers should be able to help you tell whether a specific product qualifies.

What do I need to do to qualify for the incentives?
Under the IRS rules, manufacturers need to certify that specific measures are eligible. Homeowners should obtain a copy of this certification from the manufacturer, installer or retailer when buying these products. Certifications need not be submitted to the IRS, but should be kept on file in case the IRS has questions. Homeowners should also make notes on when each eligible measure is installed- only measures “placed in service” in 2009 are eligible.

So what else do I need to know?
Before you invest in any of these projects, be sure to read all the fine print. Some of these tax credits have restrictions. For example, eligible replacement windows have the Energy Star designation.

And don’t forget that you may be eligible for additional state or local incentives. You can find out more about what’s available by visiting the Database of State Incentives for Renewable and Efficiency.

Whether replacing windows in an older house or choosing windows for a new house, your decisions on what type of windows to buy will be among the most important decisions you will make in terms of energy use. Because of the impact windows have on both heat loss and heat gain, proper selection of products can be confusing. To get the most up-to-date information on what to look for in energy-efficient windows for your home, visit the Efficient Windows Collaborative.

Basic Features to Look for in a New Window:

• Reliability and good installation. Choose windows with good warranties against the loss of the air seal, and be sure to have experienced contractors install your high-tech windows. Consumers should recognize that the manufacturer’s quality control at the factory and care during shipping can have a big impact on the window’s air tightness at a site.
• Certified by ENERGY STAR. Windows, doors, and skylights qualifying for the ENERGY STAR label must meet requirements tailored for the country’s four broad climate regions: northern, north-central, southcentral, and southern. ENERGY STAR windows must carry the NFRC label (discussed below).
• Proper dimensions. To maximize energy performance, choose windows with larger unbroken glazing areas instead of multi-pane or true-divided-light windows. Applied grills that simulate true-divided-light windows are fine; they do not reduce energy efficiency.
• Efficient frame material and sash construction. Wood is still the most common material in use, and it insulates reasonably well. Unless a thermal break is incorporated into the design, aluminum frames conduct heat very rapidly and are therefore inefficient. Vinyl (PVC) windows, or vinyl frames insulated with fiberglass, are the most efficient and tend to insulate better than wood.
• Air-tightness. Examine air leakage specifications carefully when selecting windows, but in general, casement and awning windows are tighter than double-hung and other sliding windows.
• Glazing with low emissivity. Low-e coatings made of a thin, transparent layer of silver or tin oxide are used on high-performance windows to reduce the solar heat gain without reducing visibility as much as older tinted glass. The variety and placement of the low-e coating on the window varies for different climate zones and applications. ENERGY STAR offers purchasing tips to help you find which windows are appropriate for you.
• Multiple layers of glazing. Double glazing insulates almost twice as well as single glazing. Adding a third or fourth layer of glazing results in further improvement. Some of these windows use glass only; others use thin plastic films as the inner glazing layer(s).
• The right thickness of air space. With double-glazed windows the air space between the panes of glass has a big effect on energy performance.The wider the space, the less heat can be conducted through that space (as long as it stays under about 1″).
• Low-conductivity gas fill. By substituting a denser, lower conductivity gas such as argon for the air in a sealed insulated glass window, heat loss can be reduced significantly.
• Proper edge spacers. The edge spacer is what holds the panes of glass apart and provides the airtight seal in an insulated glass window. Avoid traditional hollow aluminum spacers because they have extremely high conductivity. Instead, choose edge spacers that are thin-walled steel, silicone foam or butyl rubber. With new edge spacers, however, pay particular attention to warranties against seal failure.

Selecting New Windows for Your Home
Windows, doors, and skylights qualifying for the ENERGY STAR label must meet requirements tailored for the country’s four broad climate regions: northern, north-central, southcentral, and southern. ENERGY STAR windows must carry the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label, allowing comparisons of ENERGY STAR-qualified products on specific performance characteristics.

U-value. U-factor measures how well a product prevents heat from escaping. It is the inverse of R-value, which is familiar to many people as a measure of insulation thermal performance. The lower the U-value rating, the better the overall insulating value of the window. Typical U-values range from 0.20 to 1.20. The U-factor ratings listed on NFRC labels (and in the NFRC Certified Products Directory) take into account heat loss through the glass, window edge, and window frame.

Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). The SHGC describes how much solar energy is transmitted through a window. Solar heat gain can be beneficial—providing free passive solar heat during the winter months — or it can be a problem, resulting in overheating during the summer. Windows with high coefficients are designed for colder climates, while windows with low coefficients are designed for hotter climates.

Visible light transmittance. While SHGC describes the relative amount of solar energy that can pass through a window, the visible light transmittance is simply the relative amount of sunlight that can pass through, measured on a scale between 0 and 1. The higher the number, the greater the amount of light that can pass through.

Air leakage. Air leakage is already listed by many window manufacturers, in terms of cubic feet of air per minute per foot of crack. An optional air leakage value is included on NFRC labels and in the NFRC Certified Products Directory.

Condensation resistance. Finally, the ability of a window to resist the formation of condensation on the interior surface is very important in evaluating the relative durability of a window. The NFRC measures condensation resistance on a 0–100 scale. The higher the rating, the better that product is at resisting condensation formation. This rating is optional for new products, and it can not predict actual condensation.

Before buying a new heating or cooling system, it makes sense to tighten up your house first. The following steps will reduce your heating and cooling load, improve your comfort, and maybe even allow you to purchase a smaller—and less expensive—furnace or air conditioner when the time comes to replace your existing system.

Step 1: Consider an Energy Audit
Step 2: Find and Seal Air Leaks
Step 3: Insulate
Step 4: Upgrade Inefficient Windows & Doors
Step 5: Replace Old Windows

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