Insulated Garage Doors Now Eligible for Homeowner Tax Credit

    /24-7PressRelease/ - CINCINNATI, OH, August 09, 2007 -- It pays to go green if you are planning to upgrade your garage door to a more energy efficient model before the end of the year.
That's because the IRS has declared garage doors eligible for a tax credit under the Energy Tax Incentives Act, provided the door meets specific criteria.
The Energy Policy Act HR 6 entitles eligible homeowners to tax credits for energy saving improvements. The tax credit is equal to the sum of 10 percent of all qualified energy saving improvements to an existing home from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2007. The credit applies to the product only (no labor), and the maximum credit for all improvements is $500.
For example, if two garage doors cost $2,500, the homeowner tax credit is $250 tax credit. If the materials cost is $1,000 the tax credit would be $100. A homeowner can add windows, entry doors or any other qualified products totaling $500 over the two year period.
Efforts led by the Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association on behalf of the garage door industry resulted in the IRS decision on March 28, 2007 to include insulated garage doors on its list of approved products.
An insulated garage door can reduce overall household energy consumption if the garage is attached to the home since living space is usually adjacent or above.
"This is a great incentive for homeowners to buy now if they are thinking about replacing their garage door in the near future," says Pat Lohse, vice president of marketing for garage door manufacturer Clopay Building Products. "Not only are they improving the energy efficiency of their home, they are increasing its curb appeal and value, at the same time."
To be eligible for the credit, the garage door must meet the following qualifications:
- The door must be an insulated residential garage door installed in 2006 or 2007.
- The door must have a U-factor equal or less than 0.35 and there must be a means to control air filtration at the door perimeter.
- The door must be expected to remain in service for at least five years.
- The garage must be an insulated space and part of the taxpayer's principal U.S. residence.
Garage door dealers should provide a manufacturer's certification statement for all IRS qualified insulated garage doors along with a breakdown of the cost of the door(s) and the cost of labor at the time of installation. Homeowners do not need to submit a copy with their tax return, but should keep a copy for their records.
Many Clopay insulated garage doors qualify for the energy tax credit under section 25C of the International Energy Conservation Code including:
- Models 4050/ 4051/ 4053 (1-3/8" three layer doors, solid doors only, no windows)
- Models 4300/ 4301/ 4310/ 4400/ 4401 (2" three layer doors, solid or with insulated windows)
- Coachman Collection Series (2" and 1-3/8" three layer doors, solid)

To obtain a certificate for a qualifying Clopay door purchased after January 1, 2006, homeowners should contact the installer.

About Clopay
With four manufacturing facilities and 49 distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada, Clopay Building Products is North America's leading manufacturer of residential garage doors and a leader in the industrial door market. Bringing more than 40 years of leadership to the garage door industry, Clopay Building Products maintains a strong family of brands including Clopay , Holmes Garage Door Company and Ideal Door . Since 1996, Clopay is the only garage door manufacturer to hold the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

# # #