Elliot City Home Supports Solar Energy

        Starting in 2007, Dan and Margo Duesterhaus had 32 solar panels installed on their Elliot City home 12 years ago, in which it was placed on three sections of the roof, two additional panels for their solar water heater and another smaller panel for a solar attic fan. They added solar daylight tubes at three locations on the main floor of their rancher, two small heat pumps and large windows with extensive insulation.
        Over 5 years, the Duersterhauses transformed their 1950s-era home into a model of energy-efficiency. "It was a long-term desire," said Margo Duesterhaus, an IT consultant for the Baltimore-Washington firm Triple TeQ. "We were interested in the long-term cost savings, and obviously we had a concern for the environment."
        This weekend, the Duesterhaus home is one of the stops on the Metropolitian Washington Tour of Solar and Green Homes, which features 50 solar-powered homes in Maryland, the District of Colombia and Virginia. The Duesterhauses expect to greet at least 25 visitors when they opened their house Saturday; other houses in the area will be open Sunday as well.

Margo Duesterhaus' house is on a tour of solar homes. South facing windows were added to the kitchen area, which are double-paned with argon in between. EIFS, exterior insulation and finishing system is on the walls on the back of the house.

There are three sections of solar panels on the roof that provide 90-95% of the home's electricity.

Saving Energy also means Save Money on Taxes

      In early January, it has been claimed that Congress had extended a policy of federal tax credits for energy efficiency users. In other words, it means that homeowners can earn as much as $500 per year for investments in energy-saving windows, water heaters, air conditioners, and a variety of other home improvements. "Rest assured, if you're doing something that's uniquely beneficial for the environment, there's likely a tax credit there," says Mark Steber, chief tax officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, a tax-return preparation firm headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey.
     According to Steber, insulation, windows, and furnaces are known as being the most commonly used home improvement that qualifies for tax credits. Air-conditioning, water heaters and roofing also are accountable for the tax credits. These home improvements must have been made by 2012 but Steber notes that it's possible to amend tax filings as early as 2009 for earlier purchases.
    For simpler items, homeowners are able to receive a tax credit for 10% of the cost up to $500 or a specific amount from $50 to $300. Solar power systems, geothermal pumps, and other more advanced items are eligible for a tax credit of 30% of the cost with no upper limit until December 31, 2016.
    To be applicable for tax credits, homeowners are required to submit a 5695 Form with their 2012 taxes to receive such tax credits. No receipts? "No problem," says Steber. "Credit card statements, bills, and other evidence of the purchase can serve as adequate documentation."