If you’re considering a home-improvement project that will cut energy costs, it’s not too late to take advantage of special federal tax credits. But be aware that time is running out.

The residential energy-efficiency tax credit had been set to expire at the end of 2011. But early this year, as part of the “fiscal cliff” deal, Congress extended it to include projects undertaken during tax years 2012 and 2013.

To qualify for the tax credits – which reimburse homeowners 10 percent of the cost of an Energy Star-qualifying home-improvement project, up to $500 – the improvement must have been made in 2012 or 2013.

Here’s a list of products and appliances that may qualify for a tax credit, but keep in mind that the total credit can’t exceed $500:

• Insulation or insulating material, 10 percent of cost.

• Exterior window or skylight, 10 percent of cost, up to $200.

• Exterior door, 10 percent of cost.

• Metal roof with pigmented coating, or asphalt roof with cooling granules, 10 percent of the cost.

• Advanced main air-circulating fan, $50.

• Natural gas, propane, or oil furnace or hot water boiler, $150.

• Electric heat pump water heater, $300.

• Electric heat pump, $300.

• Central air conditioner, $300.

• Natural gas, propane, or oil water heater, $300.

• Biomass stove, $300.

Here are basic facts about the tax credit:

Taxpayers who took advantage of the full original tax credits from 2006 to 2011 are not eligible for the entire credit. However, if you only used $200 of the credit during that time period, you would still be eligible for $300 this time around.

In order to receive the tax credit for various home-improvement projects, the work must have been done in 2013 and it must be claimed on the 2013 federal income tax form, which is due to be filed by April 15, 2014.

To take advantage of the credits, fill out IRS Form 5695 and provide a copy of the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement, along with a receipt. Your service provider should be able to help you with the certification statement.

To qualify for the credit, the energy-efficient product must be installed in the taxpayer’s primary, owned residence, and must have an expected life span of at least five years. Usually, labor costs don’t count toward tax-credit eligibility.

Also, each improvement must meet government energy-efficiency ratings. For example, a natural gas, propane or oil water heater must have an “energy factor” of at least 0.82 or a thermal-efficiency rating of at least 90 percent. A biomass stove, meanwhile, would need a thermal-efficiency rating of at least 75 percent. For more information, visit energystar.gov.

Winter being upon us, we start thinking about the cold damp nights and the cozy warmth of snuggling up to a fireplace or wood burning stove. There are some important things to remember when getting ready to start operating your heating appliance.

• A fireplace or wood stove is not intended for burning trash.
• If you have an open type fireplace (no doors) make sure you always operate the unit with a screen barrier so as to eliminate an sparks from flying into the living area.
• Never use flammable liquids such as kerosene or charcoal light to start your fire.
• Make sure the fire is extinguished before retiring for the evening.
• Only small amounts of firewood should be stored in the home, the balance of your wood should be stored outside. Firewood is a vehicle for bugs to enter the home.
• If your fireplace is equipped with a damper, keep it closed whenever the fireplace is not in operation.
• Last but not least is you should always check your chimney to make sure it is clean and safe to operate. If there are signs of creosote build up, you should have professionally cleaned before operating the fireplace.

First and foremost, don't try to burn water. This sounds silly but it is the most fundamental thing to consider when you are burning wood. It might surprise you but green wood is up to 50% water. Putting it another way, for every Kg of green wood you try to burn, you are in essense adding around a pint of water. Drying you wood properly is key to make sure you have a safe, efficient enjoyable fire.

If you do have green wood, you can dry it yourself. The wood should be stacked properly so that air can circulate through the entire stack. You should put a cover - tarp - over the top to keep rain out but do not completely cover the stack as that will prevent air from circulating through the stack. Cord wood should be dried a minimum of 6 mos before attempting to burn it. There are moisture meters available so you can determine the mositure at any point in time.

If you are buying your wood, you can use the moisture meter to check the moisture content before you make the purchase.

Control the air that enters the stove:

The air entering your stove enters in two areas. Primary air feeds the bottom of the fire bed and secondary air mixes with the gases coming off he burning wood. About 80% of the heat obtainable from burning wood is in the form of the burning gases off the top of the fire. Obviously then the secondary air is more important than the primary air.

If you have a control for secondary air, never close it completely. Closing it will almost guarantee an efficient, dirty burn resulting in chimney build up as well as dirty glass door.

The only time you may want to leave the stove door open is when you are starting the fire. Leaving the door slight adjar will cause a rush of air across the bottom of the fire and help to get the fire going more quickly. Leaving the door open any other time will great diminish the heat output and efficiency of the stove.

Your stove burns at its most efficient state when it is burning hot. A small hot fire is much preferred over a large smoldering inefficient fire.

Previously published at highschimney.com

What's the difference between Fireplaces and Fireplace Inserts?

There is a lot of confusion about these terms. After all, a "fireplace" ought to be any place you can have a fire, right? Yep, but there is a difference anyway and today I'll lay it out for everyone.

When folks talk about a "fireplace" they generally mean an open fireplace. This usually means an opening in the wall with a flue above it so you can have a fire. The key here is that it's open. To confuse the matter more, a lot of fireplaces have glass doors on the front. You might point out that it's not open anymore, and you'd be right, but it's still "a fireplace."

Fireplaces can be either masonry fireplaces or factory-built fireplaces (also called prefabricated or "prefabs.) A masonry fireplace is almost always built of bricks. There are some specialty types that are more exotic and use refractory materials, but 99.9% of them are made with bricks.

A factory-built fireplace is a metal box with refractory bricks inside manufactured to be framed into a house, without masonry. Sometimes they are gas fireplaces, but they are often for burning wood. These are perfectly safe when installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

The Heatalator

There's also sort of "an in-between" situation, commonly called the Heatalator. Heatalator is a brand name which is applied to products which are generally like it. Just as all tissues aren't Kleenex brand, it's pretty common to just ask for a Kleenex and everybody understands. The same is true with Heatalator. It's a metal firebox which is built into a masonry structure. Even though it was built in a factory, this is still considered a masonry fireplace. This is because of clearance and heat transfer requirements etc. Too much information? Suffice to say Heatalators are also fireplaces.

Fireplace Inserts

So what's a fireplace insert ? In a word, it's a stove. Either gas or wood, it's a stove which is inserted into an open fireplace. Fireplace inserts are almost exclusively installed into masonry fireplaces, though there are a few very special models which are listed to be installed into prefabricated fireplaces, such as the Regency Alltera CI1250.

A fireplace insert must always be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions and listings or you'll put your house in serious jeopardy. Following these two bits of advice will go a long way toward keeping you and your family warm and safe at the same time!

• Insist that your stove have a properly-sized liner all the way from the top of the stove out of the top of the existing chimney. Click here for more information about chimney liners.
• Insist on knowing that any insert you buy is listed for installation into your fireplace.

There are two basic designs of fireplaces available for homes, those which burn wood or use gas. You can choose between fireplaces which require a chimney and those that are direct vent. When you do not have the space needed to run a chimney or do not want the expense, you can choose a direct vent fireplace instead, which uses a single vent out of an exterior wall of the home.

Shop Direct Vent Fireplaces Here

More Attleboro, Mass., area residents will be heating their homes with wood pellets, coal and fireplaces next winter than anytime in the recent past, as they seek alternatives to skyrocketing fuel oil and natural gas costs. More