Eco-inspectors offer additional services such as rebate assistance from your local utility company and assistance with filing for federal tax credits of up to $1,500. A knowledgeable inspector will be able to let you know what tax rebates you will qualify for once you have implemented any suggestions that they may have. The money that you will save on your energy bills and possible tax rebates makes an Eco-inspection will worth the time and money.

In October the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it had made $454 million dollars available to help existing homes improve their energy efficiency.

Some of the areas of interest to an Eco-inspector include poor insulation, leaky air ducks, improperly sealed windows and doors or incorrect air filters. A pressurization test of your home will also reveal additional leak sources. This test can be repeated once the repairs have been completed to see how much of an improvement has been made.

Once the inspection is completed you should receive a detailed report from the inspector that indicates not only what deficiencies were found but the report should also give you an estimate for what percent of saving to your utility bill the repairs should make. Having this information will allow you to make an informed decision on the cost benefit of each suggested repair.

There is additional assistance that your local utility may offer. Some utility companies are even offering to help pay a portion of the Eco-inspection fees, and others are willing to pay $500 or more to assist with recommended repairs. With all of these assistance programs “Go Green” seems to make cents.

The amount of space you will have for plants and other items in a garden depends on the size of the window you are replacing. Most manufacturers of garden windows will customize the window you are replacing. Most manufacturers of garden windows will customize the window to the existing wall opening. Therefore, the depth of the garden window and the available room for plants and other items is dependent upon the manufacturers’ designs and their standard width-depth ratios.

Many of the same energy efficient design features that are considered common for standard flat replacement windows are also appropriate for garden windows. This includes glass type, frames and weather stripping. Some garden windows, depending on the design, have a solid bottom, so its material and insulation value should be a consideration.

Frames for garden windows can be made of any standard frame material, but vinyl is the most commonly used for custom sizes. Vinyl frames have hollow cavities that create insulating air gaps in the frame. Some manufacturers fill these insulating cavities that create insulating air gaps in the frame. Some manufacturers fill these insulating cavities with expanding foam for higher insulation and rigidity. Wood frames are attractive and provide strength and rigidity in the hot sun.

Many garden windows have hinged casement windows on both sides that use a compression type of weather stripping that provides an air-tight seal and good security. Some wood frame garden windows can qualify for the new $1,500 maximum federal energy tax credit. In order to qualify for this tax credit the garden window must have a U-Factor and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient of 0.30 or less.

For more eco-friendly gardens see Garden Roof