NDL Hearth Blog

If you are getting your home ready to put on the market this spring, think of adding a few luxuries to entice potential buyers. Set your home apart from the others with a new gas or wood stove, fireplace or insert. As you know, homes sales in New England and the Northeast are increasing, but home pricing has become much more competitive. With the spring comes an increase in home sales, and with interest rates still low compared to years past, and a rebounding economy, it is the perfect time to sell your home.

Gas fires add convenience and ambiance to any home. With the touch of a button potential buyers know that in your home, they can enjoy a relaxing fire anytime. And, how nice to showcase your home at an open house with a cozy fire blazing in the fireplace.

With a wood burning stove or insert added to your home, your realtor can show potential buyers the advantage of your home over the competition, a decrease in home heating utility bills. Not only will potential buyers save money heating their new home next winter, they will be able to enjoy the ambiance and beauty provided by a beautiful fire.

But whichever fuel source you choose, one thing is certain; working fireplaces add atmosphere and ambiance to any home. New home buyers love the idea of a working hearth and they make your home more enticing. Home buyers are looking for a unique and homey piece of real estate. With all of their options make your house the home they are looking for.

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Last night, the House voted 177 to 148 in favor of the $858 billion Tax Cut Compromise Package of 2010 that reduces the biomass heater tax credit to 10 percent with a $300 cap. The bill now goes to the White House for the President's signature. Another significant change that further restricts the tax credit for biomass appliances is that Congress removed the lower heating value measurement and only allows the credit toward the purchase price and not for installation.

Energy efficiency provisions were shortchanged even further by a clause that says the $500 tax credit is a lifetime maximum, meaning that if a homeowner has used this credit anytime since 2005, it cannot be used again. During the past two years, the credit up to $1,500 could be used regardless of whether the family has used the credit between 2005 and 2009.

The reduction to 10 percent tax credit affects all energy efficiency measures that had enjoyed 30 percent credit for the past two years. Many members of Congress felt the 25C tax credit program had cost the government too much money and should not be extended in its current form at 30 percent up to $1,500.

This setback for incentives for wood and pellet heating systems is a result of biomass appliances being considered an energy efficiency device instead of a renewable energy system. Solar, wind and geothermal systems still enjoy the full 30 percent tax credit with no maximum and are not set to expire until 2016.

"This creates a terrible double standard for incentives between renewable energy systems favored and affordable by the wealthy and systems favored and affordable by average American families," said John Ackerly, president of the Alliance for Green Heat. "Fortunately, we understand that Congress will be revisiting these tax credits again in 2011 and advocates for cleaner and more efficient biomass appliances need to be prepared," he said. Instead of using tax credits based on a percentage of purchase and installation costs, Congress is likely to consider performance-based credits.

This report prepared by the Alliance for Green Heat.

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This winter, if you are having trouble keeping the cold at bay, consider adding a fireplace or fireplace insert to your home. Not only will you add comfort and atmosphere, you will add value to your home as well. A working hearth is considered a plus to home buyers, thus increasing the value of your home. Fireplaces and inserts can be fueled by natural gas, electricity, pellets, or wood and all these fuel sources have their advantages. Pellets and wood are considered renewable energy sources and are economical. But that is not all. Many fireplace inserts have a tax credit as well!

Gas and electric fireplaces and fireplace inserts are generally easier to use with less mess and effort. They are also very efficient and can be hooked up to a thermostat and remote. This way, you have constant heat which you can enjoy with the touch of a button. Whichever fuel source you choose to run your fireplace or insert, one thing is certain; working fireplaces add atmosphere and ambiance to any home. New home buyers love the idea of a working hearth and they make your home more enticing. If you are remodeling for your own enjoyment, a room with a burning fire adds a whole new dimension to entertaining.

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