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Does Insulated Siding with the FullbackTM Thermal Support System Qualify for the Home Energy Tax Credit? For the tax year ending on December 31, 2009, US homeowners will have the opportunity to claim up to a $1,500.00 tax credit for the installation of energy-saving components to their home. Progressive Foam's Insulated Siding with FullBackTM Thermal Support System (field installed, drop-in foam backer) is included as an eligible component under this program. A homeowner can receive a tax credit based on 30% of the cost of the energy saving component (in this case, FullbackTM Thermal Support System) by requesting an itemized invoice for the cost of that component and completing a manufacturer's certificate that indicates that the component does qualify under the program. Progressive Foam's certificate is available at our website www.fullback.com. The question has been asked why Insulated Siding with FullbackTM Technology (factory-installed foam backer) does not qualify for the tax credit while doing the same job as the field-installed Insulated Siding with FullBackTM Thermal Support System.

Under the Energy Tax Credit provision, the primary purpose of any eligible component must be to reduce heat loss or gain. While field-installed insulated, drop-in foam backer is identified as an insulator that aids in reducing heat gain or loss, the factory-installed products have a different primary purpose.

Those products have been identified as siding,with a primary purpose of cladding, unrelated to heat gain or loss. An arbitrary rule established by the government on this explanation is that the production costs of the combined components (siding and foam backer) must feature a higher production cost for the component that is designed for reducing heat gain or loss than for the non-energy saving components.

Recent developments within testing, building codes, and regulatory agencies (see articles on AC37 and ASTM D7445 included in this bulletin) to validate energy saving benefits will surely pave the way for factory-installed Insulated Siding to be included in future Energy Tax Credit legislation. Progressive Foam will continue to work with the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) and other stakeholders to insure that this product category receives the designation that it deserves as an energy saving component for homeowners.