It’s out with the old and in with the new for Atlanta mom, Jennie Medeiros. She’s replacing her family’s heating and air conditioning unit and getting paid $1,500 from the government for replacing it.

“Our old system had started to break down pretty frequently and while it’s repairable, at this point, we were advised it was going to keep breaking. We decided to take advantage of the tax credits and get it done before it expires,” Medeiros says.

Replacing HVAC units is one of a number of federal tax credits for energy efficiency. Originally part of President Obama’s $858 billion federal tax bill passed in 2009, the energy saving tax credits don’t just apply to heating and cooling units. The federal government is also giving homeowners up to $1,500 tax credits for doors, windows and hot water heaters. But after the new year, the energy-saving incentives are getting slashed by two-thirds.

“If we weren’t getting a tax credit, we probably would have waited until the system was really and truly broken and then done it when it was dead which would have made it unfortunate and uncomfortable for our family but tax credits made it possible to do it now,” Medeiros said.

It’s been a hectic few weeks for installers trying to beat the clock and satisfy customers trying to make the deadline.

“Hundreds, hundreds [of appointments]” said Ken Briggs of Moncreif Heating and Air in Atlanta. “It’s about a 15% increase in business over last year.”

You’ll get an energy saving certificate to file with your taxes in April. But before you run and and buy a unit or new windows, do your research.

“There are very specific guidelines for the systems that qualify. So that’s the biggest question and the biggest unknown – not every system qualifies,” Briggs said.

In a tough economy and during a chilly winter, doing the research keeps your family warm and keeps some extra bucks in your wallet.

“Just to get the money back, it takes a bite out of the cost of putting in a big, new system,” Medeiros said.