A reminder that there is a 30% upto $1500 Federal Tax Credit on Qualifying Furnaces and Boilers. If you have been thinking about replacing these items, you might as well upgrade now and save some money. Furnaces 15 years old or older can be replaced with much more efficient units. New models with electric ignition are the most efficient models.

Natural Gas or Propane Furnaces must have Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency or
AFUE >= 95% to qualify for the tax credit. Oil Furnaces and as, Propane, or Oil Hot Water Boiler must have AFUE >= 90%. Not all ENERGY STAR products will qualify for the tax credit.

Gas fired furnace list. Here is a list of qualifying oil furnaces and oil boilers. Also consider installing radiant floor heating instead of using a furnace.

Energy Star has a store location finder to help you find local dealers.

This credit reduces the amount of tax you owe for 2009. The credit is a reduction of total income tax at the bottom of your return, up to $1500. This tax credit is a non-refundable tax credit. Consult your tax adviser for details. Use it or lose it! Credit details.

Products must have been purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.  Solar water heater purchases are covered through 2016.

The tax credit is an aggregate, i.e., the total $1500 can include other energy efficient items. For instance, if a consumer claims $900 on a qualifying item, then they will have the remaining $600 rebate available for purchases of additional energy saving products in the same tax year.

$1500 seems like the total credit for both 2009 and 2010 combined. Beware that those affected by the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) in 2010 may not qualify for the rebate unless Congress passes an AMT patch.

Double dip: Many local utilities provide financial incentives for purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified items. To find out if rebates or other incentives are available in your area, visit the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder.

Related posts:

1. Federal Tax Credit on Insulation
2. Federal Tax Credit on Windows, Doors, Skylights
3. Federal Tax Credit on Geo-Thermal Heat Pump

A reminder that there is a 30% upto $1500 Federal Tax Credit on Qualifying Gas, Oil, Propane Water Heaters as well as Electric Heat Pump Water Heater and Solar Water Heaters through 12/31/2010. If your water heater is on its last legs, you might as well upgrade now and save some money. New water heaters require less energy and time to heat water. Reduce waiting time between showers and doing laundry.

Gas, Oil, Propane Water Heaters must have Energy Factor >= 0.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.  Newer Hybrid water heaters are also available.

Consider an on demand Tankless Water Heater if your situation allows for it.  They need ready access to a good size gas pipe and exhaust vent for many models.

Electric Heat Pump Water Heater requirements are the same as ENERGY STAR: Energy Factor >= 2.0.

Solar Water Heaters are covered if at least half of the energy generated comes from the sun and the system is certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC).

AO Smith makes the Vertex 100 water heater that is very efficient but requires PVC pipe venting not normal metal venting. Also consider installing radiant floor heating instead of using a gas furnace as these newer water heaters support radiant heating.

This credit reduces the amount of tax you owe for 2009. The credit is a reduction of total income tax at the bottom of your return, up to $1500. This tax credit is a non-refundable tax credit. Consult your tax adviser for details. Use it or lose it!

Products must have been purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010.  Solar water heater purchases are covered through 2016.

The tax credit is an aggregate, i.e., the total $1500 can include other energy efficient items. For instance, if a consumer claims $900 on a new stove, then he will have $600 to purchase additional energy saving products in the same tax year.

If a taxpayer uses the entire $1500 tax credit on a competing product then they cannot use it for a biomass stove in that same tax year.

$1500 seems like the total credit for both 2009 and 2010 combined. Beware that those affected by the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) in 2010 may not qualify for the rebate unless Congress passes an AMT patch.

Double dip! Local utilities like PGE have their own rebates for Energy Efficient Appliances purchased in 2009.  PGE has a $30 rebate for energy efficient water heaters. Gas water heaters with Energy Factor 0.62 or greater or Electric ones with Energy  Factor 0.93 or greater.

Note: It is difficult to find larger sized water heaters with Energy Factor’s this high.

Be sure to check out our reduce water heater use, water saving tips and ways to save energy.

Related posts:

1. Hybrid Water Heaters – GE GeoSpring Water Heater
2. Federal Tax Credit on Furnaces and Boilers
3. Federal Tax Credit on Windows, Doors, Skylights

CNNMoney.com has a nice analysis of how fast a hybrid pays off. They compared a buying a new $24,548 Toyota Prius Hybrid vs a conventional $19,635 Toyota Camry.

You can see that it takes 4.5 years to break even with gas at $4, 6 years at $3. Some hard numbers that should help prevent you from paying a crazy markup for any hot new green hybrid or electric vehicle.

Kiplinger’s has a Green Car Calculator that compares two cars costs and 5 year overall costs.

Remember that it takes a LOT of energy to build a car, so it may be more eco to keep what you have or buy a used fuel efficient vehicle. A hybrid still emits about 20 pounds of carbon with each gallon of gas you burn up.

Check out our hybrid driving tips.

Related posts:

1. Gas-Guzzler Trade-In Calculator
2. New Cars that Already Meet 2016 Fuel Economy Standards
3. Hybrid Car Mileage Tips

We recently had an article on organic mattresses. I heard a commercial on the radio touting Serta’s Organic Mattress and decided to look into it.

Serta is one of the big 3 mattress suppliers.  They have several Serta Organic Mattresses; Vera Wang by Serta Vera Bloom Euro Top mattress and a Serta Perfect Balance Organic Crib and Toddler Bed Mattress.

Again the term organic is unregulated when referencing mattresses, so any mattress can be called organic. Serta use organic cotton layers, which is a plus. The mattress’s Vinyl cover is made without Phthalates, which is also good.  The Vera Wang one does not mention much except using organic cotton layers.

The other mattresses we looked at before seem much more green.

Related posts:

1. Green Mattress – Organic Mattress
2. Eco Friendly Mattress
3. Green Eco Friendly Memory Foam Mattresses

Edmunds.com has a new Gas-Guzzler Trade-In Calculator that helps you figure out the pay back period and fuel saving associated with trading in a vehicle for a new more fuel efficient one.

“A common example demonstrates the potential pitfalls of ditching that SUV: A consumer trades in a four-year old GMC Yukon, worth $13,483, for a new $21,647 Toyota Prius. The difference is $8,164. If the consumer drives 1,200 miles per month and gas costs $4.07 per gallon (national average), the monthly fuel savings will be $201.34. While this may seem attractive, it will take 41 months to pay back the additional cost of the Prius over the trade-in value of the Yukon.”

Considering a Prius would probably cost more than $21,647, the pay back time is even longer especially if gas prices fall. Consider regular high mileage compacts such as the Honda Fit.

Also consider a recent (2 or 3 year old) vintage fuel efficient preowned car.  The biggest cost in owning a car is depreciation at almost 50%, followed by fuel costs at near 20%.

Related posts:

1. Toyota Prius Hybrid vs Toyota Camry – Payoff time for Hybrid vs Gas Cars
2. Save Gas – Drive Slower
3. Cash for Clunkers or Car Allowance Rebate System

From their website: “The New MIRA-COOL uses 95% less electricity than a typical window air conditioner, yet blast out ice cooled air to keep you cool for just pennies a day.”

Sound too good to be true?

Way down in the ad copy it says you pay $298 and $98 shipping for a MIRA-Cool, then get a second MIRA-Cool unit free. They will make 11,337 x $396 = $4.4 million from this ad!

Connecticut watchdog has some analysis of this cooler. A MIRA-Cool is a unit with two small ice blocks placed in tap water with a fan blowing over the ice, creating an effect similar to an evaporative cooler. Consumer Reports reviewed the predescessor to the MIRA-Cool, the Cool Surge, and issued a Don’t Buy.

Check out their Better Business Bureau BBB D+ Rating.

This ad reminds me of the Amish built heaters ads run in the winter.

If you want a real evaporative cooler, look at this evaporative cooler article

Check out our Air Conditioner Energy Savings article if you really want to save on air conditioning.

Our article Ways to save Energy, Money, on your Energy Bill has other money saving tips.

Related posts:

1. Alternatives to Air Conditioners – Evaporative Coolers
2. Air Conditioner Energy Savings
3. PGE Energy Partners Program – Free Products

Indoor Air Quality refers to how clean the air indoors is. We spend 90-95% of our time indoors. Often times the air outside is cleaner. This leads to health problems like allergies, asthma, etc.

Consumer Product Safety Commission and EPA has a good guide on how to improve indoor air quality. EPA has an extensive list of items that affect indoor air quality.

Major problems include: Smoking, Fireplaces, Mold, Dust, Radon, Stoves.

Some lesser known problems include: Offgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals from paint, carpets, cleaners, office equipment, furniture, building materials.

NASA has done research to show that plants Clean Air and Water for Indoor Environments.

An NCPA article states:
“For every 100 square feet of office area, one or two Boston ferns can clean so much formaldehyde out of the air that it is no longer detectable.

Other toxin-eating plants include the azalea, poinsettia, dieffenbachia, gerbera daisy, corn plant, pot mum, Chinese evergreen and various species of philodendron, schefflera, chrysanthemum, tulip orchid and ligustrum.”

Penn State recommends plants like Spider plants, Grape Ivy, Chinese evergreen, Snake plants and more.

If you have carpet, consider removing it or using modular green carpets such as Interface flor. Install using no voc adhesives.

Putting a better filter on your heater, such as a 3M Filtrete will also improve indoor air quality.

In room portable air purifiers with HEPA filters also help clear the air. Look for ones that are whisper quiet.

This is a lot cheaper and more eco than buying lots of air purifiers or replacing every piece of furniture you have.

Related posts:

1. What are VOCs? (Volatile Organic Compounds)
2. Air Duct and Vent Cleaning
3. Consumer Reports Indoor Paint Review

We spend many hours on a mattress, making it one of the biggest investments in your health.

How can a mattress be an organic mattress? There do no appear to be any organizations like the USDA certifying mattresses to be organic, yet the term is used all over the marketplace. A factory could be third party certified as meeting organic rules.

Clearly many mainstream mattresses are made of synthetic materials like polyurethane, have chemical treatments applied to them, and have poses a chemical VOC off gassing problem.

A green mattress or organic mattress can utilize 100% USDA certified organic cotton, natural rubber latex core, 100% pure organic wool, FSC Certified wood foundation. This all comes at a price of course.  Many are twice as expensive as the typical mattress and are only sold at few outlets.  Some green mattresses are certified by GreenGuard, like the ones from Lifekind, Naturepedic, and Organic Mattresses.

These are criteria to look for in a new green mattress, organic mattress, or crib:

1) No chemicals, formaldehyde, PBDE’s, toxic glue, petroleum products, no off gassing

2) Natural latex rubber – Hypoallergenic, durable

3) Organic cotton and wool quilting – Pass fire standard law of July 30, 2007

4) Cotton Fiber free – Prevents dust mites, mold

Green Memory Foam Mattresses have similar qualities. We will spend 1/3 of our life on these things, so it pays to think carefully about this purchase.

Related posts:

1. Eco Friendly Mattress
2. Serta Organic Mattress
3. Green Eco Friendly Memory Foam Mattresses

Spring is when we start thinking about purchasing new lawn equipment and motorboats.

US Environmental Protection Agency issued new emission standards for small engines used in lawn equipment and small boats aimed at significantly reducing pollution in our air and waterways. 2010 is when the new boat standards kick in. 2011 is when the new lawn and garden equipment rules start. Be sure to keep this in mind when upgrading or buying new gear. You’ll reduce the toxic gases you inhale and help clear the air.

A single ‘old-style’ lawnmower emits as much pollution in an hour as 50 cars driving 20 miles.

Many of the newly compliant lawnmowers will include catalytic converters.

Since January 1, 2007, California has required fuel powered mowers with catalytic converters, so this is not new here. If you are concerned by this, you could buy a unit that is California compliant and not wait for 2011.

Also consider buying an electric mower. Many areas have electric lawn mower rebate programs. Many counties will work with your local hardware store and offer incentives to replace your old ungreen gas lawn mower. Worx has a rebate when you buy their new electric mowers.

Related posts:

1. Grasscycling – Recycling Grass
2. Reducing a Lawn, Grass, Garden’s Water Use
3. Cash for Clunkers Appliance Rebates

Spring is in the air, it is time to clean up your place. EWG Has a nice list of tips to help you clean your house the green more eco-friendly way.

Some really useful tips include:

Using cleaners that do not have any of these chemicals: 2-butoxyethanol, Alkylphenol ethoxylates, Dye, Ethanolamines, fragrance, pine or citrus oil, Quaternary ammonium compounds.

Learn how to check on the products and ingredients by reading MSDS documents.

Baking soda and water works well as a substitute for acidic toilet-bowl cleaner and oven cleaners.

These tips are also incorporated in their healthy home checklist.

Recycle old electronics and computers responsibly.

Donate or give away unneeded items.

Related posts:

1. Cheap Eco Friendly Natural Cleaning Products
2. Clorox Green Works Household Cleaner, Method, Seventh Generation
3. Eco Friendly Green Dry Cleaning