If you need a little push to make your home more energy efficient, has the IRS got a deal for you.

OK, it’s not like wining the lottery, but it is bigger and better than the tax credit deal offered in 2007.

“There’s actually two,” says Charles Schwichtenberg, senior staff accountant at Sumner, Carter, Hardy, Rich and Company, LLP Certified Public Accountants. “There is the non-business energy property credit and the energy residential energy efficient property credit.”

They both offer a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of specific energy-efficient home improvements, he says. And they are both part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, applying to purchases for 2009 and 2010. The only difference is the first one has a cap of $1,500 and there is no cap on the second, he says. That’s because the second involves larger purchases, such as solar systems and wind energy purchases.

What this means is that if you spend $5,000 on new insulation this fall, you can take $1,500 right of your taxes for 2009. Or you might want to buy a new super-insulated door for $500 and take $150 off your taxes.

The improvement must be for your principle home — no vacation homes or rentals. The only trick is to make sure your purchase qualifies. In 2007, if it had the Energy Star label, that was enough. But for this year, they have changed some of the energy-efficiency requirements, Mr. Schwichtenberg says, so that label only applies for window and skylights purchased before June 2009. What you now need is the manufacturer certification.

“For example, when you buy insulation,” Mr. Schwichtenberg says, “they should provide you in their packaging or their Web site certification that what you bought is eligible for the tax credits. As long as you keep this in your records, you’re OK.”

So what should you buy? You can get the tax credit for insulation, doors, roofing, exterior windows, skylights, hot water heaters, air conditioners and propane heaters. New this year is credit for biomass fuel pumps, he says. These are the stoves that heat your house with corn pellets or other biomass that’s renewable. They must have a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75 percent to qualify, he says.

But before you buy anything, consider getting an energy efficiency audit, says Shauna Zahner, with Stitt Energy Systems Inc.

“Your house all plays together as a system,” she explains. “You may realize the windows leak and you need insulation, but an energy auditor will pinpoint areas where you need insulation and how much you need.”

And Missouri offers a tax deduction for energy audits. You should also check with your energy utility company for rebates. KCP&L, for one, will give you a rebate if you use a certified energy auditor.

“You have to implement a measure to get the rebate,” says Katie McDonald, KCP&L spokesperson. “We would rebate up to $600 for the customer, so for the most part it will pay for the audit.”

Finally, check out rebates at stores and by the manufacturers. (See box for places to look). Make 2009 the year to save energy and money.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com