THE 45L NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES TAX CREDIT

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was signed into law today. As part of the legislation, the $2,000 per dwelling unit 45L tax credit was extended for homes sold or leased through December 31, 2022.

Other than dwellings sold or rented in 2022, there are still a large number of projects completed prior to this year that may qualify for the credit. Low-rise multifamily projects are also eligible and typically qualify given the stringent Title 24 energy standards.

Builders and HERS Raters can easily log into CHEERS and see which projects qualify for the tax credit.

ENERGYSTAR AND 45L
Dwellings certified under the ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction or the ENERGY STAR Manufactured New Homes programs sold or rented after December 31, 2022 will be eligible for a $2,500 tax credit. This credit jumps to $5,000 if the units are certified under the Zero Energy Ready homes program (ZER).
Dwellings certified under the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction National Program will also be eligible for these benefits, including high-rise projects. These tax credits remain in effect through 2032.

ABOUT CHEERS
CHEERS is where building professionals register projects for California energy code compliance. More projects are registered with CHEERS for energy code compliance than anywhere else!

Calibrated Blower Door Test

Our professional, accredited technicians at Blue Sky Energy run diagnostic tests to determine the efficacy of your HVAC system as well as the permeability of your home’s Thermal Envelope, inclusive of windows, doors, insulation, floors and more. Using a variety of solutions, Blue Sky Energy can repair or upgrade the ventilation of your home or commercial space to meet optimal energy standards, which both lowers energy costs and can qualify you for valuable tax credits.

 

Blower Door Testing

The air leakage test (or “Blower Door Test”) uses a calibrated fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door to either pressurize or depressurize a home to a standard test pressure of 50 Pascals (with respect to the outside) and measures the air leakage flow at that pressure, measured by digital pressure gauges. These tests determine the air infiltration rate of a home or building. A single-point or multi-point blower test can be performed to test the home, where a multi-point, using more than one blower, can offer more granular results on exact placement of air leakage.

 

An accredited technician then performs a visual inspection and diagnostic testing throughout the home, dwelling or commercial space to identify sources of leakage or issue in the HVAC system and the structure’s thermal envelope.

 

Here’s what our visual test checks for:

  1. Proper Duct Sealing
  2. Duct Leakage
  3. Proper Supply and Return Functionality
  4. Air Handler Fan Efficacy
  5. Verified Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)
  6. Verified Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)
  7. Building Envelope Air Leakage
  8. High-Quality Insulation Installation (QII)

 

The blower door test and duct testing, combined with the visual inspection of our experienced HERS Raters, determines your home’s energy rating and pinpoints vulnerabilities that can be modified to decrease overall energy consumption and improve the rating.

 

Schedule Your Blower Door Test

 

When scheduling a blower door test, it’s important to work with an accredited provider like Blue Sky Energy, who employ the very best and most professional HVAC experts in the South Florida region. We understand the importance of professionalism as we work in your home, and are dedicated to delivering the most comprehensive solutions to ensure your South Florida home is as energy efficient as possible. Here is what you can expect during one of our home Blower Door Tests:

 

  1. Schedule: Use our online platform to request the day and time most convenient for your home’s diagnostic testing.
  2. Connect: One of our technicians will call you to confirm your testing needs, date and time.
  3. Testing: One of our technicians will visit your home and perform a Blower Door and Duct Test along with a comprehensive visual inspection and analysis.
  4. Results: We’ll deliver a custom report that shows your home’s energy rating, inclusive of its vulnerabilities and a recommended list of fixes to improve your homes energy consumption.

 

What you can expect during your test:

  • We’ll close all exterior doors and windows
  • We’ll open all interior doors
  • We’ll turn off the heating and cooling system(s)
  • We’ll turn off all fans that supply air to the house or exhaust air from it
  • Adjust thermostats so they do not come on during the test.
  • When present, closing fireplace doors and/or dampers and either vacuuming cold loose ashes or covering them.

 

Blue Sky Energy services homes and commercial spaces in the South Florida region. To schedule a Blower Door Test, call us at (PHONE NUMBER) or fill out this service request form (HERE). To learn more about air duct leakage testing and other services performed by Blue Sky Energy company in the South Florida region, visit our blog page: