WASHINGTON — Legislation that Congress passed and President Obama signed into law to avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff” also retroactively reinstated the 25C tax credits for high-efficiency HVAC and water heating equipment that expired at the end of 2011. The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) reports that the legislation extends the tax credits from Jan. 1, 2012 through Dec. 31, 2013, for qualified equipment listed in Section 25C of the Internal Revenue Code. Because the credits were made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012, they can be used for qualified equipment that was installed any time during the past year as well as going forward in 2013.

Qualified equipment includes:

• Air conditioners and heat pumps ($300 tax credit)
— Split system central air conditioner that achieves the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (16 SEER; 13 EER)
— Packaged central air conditioner that achieves the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (14 SEER; 12 EER)
— Split system electric heat pump that achieves the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (8.5 HSPF; 12.5 EER; 15 SEER)
— Packaged electric heat pump that achieves the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (8.0 HSPF; 12.0 EER; 14 SEER)

• Advanced main air circulating fan ($50 tax credit)
— A fan used in a natural gas, propane, or oil furnace with an annual electricity use of no more than 2 percent of the total energy use of the furnace

• Boilers ($150 tax credit)
— Natural gas, propane, or oil boiler with an AFUE of not less than 95

• Furnaces ($150 tax credit)
— Natural gas, propane, or oil furnace with an AFUE of not less than 95

• Water heaters ($300 tax credit)
— Electric heat pump water heaters with an energy factor of at least 2.0
— Natural gas, propane, or oil water heater with an energy factor of at least 0.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90 percent

Publication date: 12/31/2012