Did you Know? General Helpful Little Tips - Part 3

• House Plants such as the following are effective in removing indoor pollutants from the air. Plants that are good at removing formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene and carbon monoxide are: Bamboo Palm, Chinese Evergreen, English Ivy, Gerbera Daisy, Janet Craig Dracaena, Dracaena Marginata and the Corn Plant.

• If you install an energy-efficient sliding-glass patio door or exterior French door in 2009 or 2010, you could be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $1,500. Between Jan 1, 2009 and May 31, 2009, any glass door that bears an Energy Star label qualifies for the credit, which allows you to claim 30 percent of the product price, minus installation up to $1,500. After June 1, 2009 the requirements will be stricter and only glass doors with a U-factor of .30 or less and a solar heat gain coefficient of .30 or less will qualify for the tax credit.

• If you want to replace your windows, keep the R-value top of mind. The R-value is a measure of how much heat can get through the window in an hour. Windows with a high R-value allow less heat to enter your home. The greater the R-value, the greater your energy savings will be. A double-pane window with a high performance coating, can have an R-value of 5.