Take Advantage of Tax Credits

Save energy and qualify for tax credits too. A tax credit of 30% of the cost of qualifying products, up to $1,500 during the 2009 and 2010 tax years, is available for several window covering products. Any qualifying blind ordered between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 can be claimed up to a combined total of $1500 under the Federal Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency.

The ComfortTrack Plus Energy Saving Sidetrack System by Comfortex is available for purchase online and is certified for federal tax credits for energy efficiency. The shade features an insulating honeycomb fabric with an integrated sidetrack system that seals off the gaps between the shades and windows to create a solid insulating barrier to drafts. This system is designed to reduce heat loss or gain in a house.

Windows can gain and lose heat in the following ways:

·        Direct conduction through the glass or frame

·        The radiation of heat into a house

·        Air leakage through and around the windows

When installed with light filtering double honeycomb fabric over a double-pane window, the ComforTrack Plus Insulation System forms an assembly with an R-value greater than 2.86. A material’s R-value is the measure of its resistance to heat flow. The way it works is simple: the higher the R-value, the more the material insulates.

Download the manufacturer’s Certification Statement from Comfortex.com and take it along with your receipt showing the amount spent to your tax professional to the claim a 30% credit on the cost of the system up to $1500.

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4 Ways to Choose Eco-Friendly Blinds

Comfortex WoodWinds

An important, but often overlooked, factor in determing which blind or shade to put in your home is the environmental impact in its manufacturing and the affects on indoor air quality in your home. 

Energy efficient blinds and shades also helps the environment. By effectively channeling the natural power of the sun, window coverings insulate during the winter, block solar heat gain in the summer and reduce UV damage inside the home.  

We’ve put togther a list of 4 important attributes to look for when purchasing your window treatment:  GREENGUARD certification, sustantiable manufacturing, Oeko-Tex® certification, and energy efficient design.  

 1) GREENGUARD Certification: The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI), an industry independent, non-profit organization, grants GREENGUARD Certification. GEI puts products through a series of tests to determine if they meet acceptable standards for indoor air quality. Those that pass are awarded GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification. Products that receive the GreenGuard tag are continually tested to ensure they maintain the approved standards. 

2) Sustainable Manufacturing  Products manufactured at facilities employing aggressive programs to reduce energy consumption and overall carbon footprint, and products made from sustainable materials such as renewable resources like bamboo, sisal, grass, jute and wood harvested through “sustainable yield forest management”. 

 3) Oeko-Tex®: The Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 is a globally uniform testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production. The Oeko-Tex® Standard 100: “Confidence in Textiles” label verifies that the fabrics are free of PVC, Halogen, Lead, Formaldehyde, allergenic dyes, pesticides, phenols, and heavy metals, among others. 

4) Energy Efficient Design:  Energy efficient window treatments translate into year-round savings on both heating and cooling costs. Inefficient windows can add 10-25% to heating bills and as much as 75% to summer air conditioning bills; and every kilowatt-hour of electricity you don’t use saves over two pounds of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Window treatments also protect your home from damaging UV rays.  Products such as cellular shades, wood blinds, and lined roman shades offer some of the best year-around energy efficiency.

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