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Do you have to change the appliances? Here’s how to choose the new ones

The bonus provided for the purchase of large appliances, linked to building renovations, will also be available next year. In the financial maneuver drafted by the Government, the one-year extension of the benefit was introduced in extremis, therefore extended to the whole of 2018 (except snipers, during the vote in Parliament). But what are the required requirements and how to apply? And what is there to know and evaluate if you decide to change your washing machine or kitchen hob?

Here are the applicable tax deductions
The rules to be followed in 2018 should be the same as for this year. The personal income tax deduction for large household appliances, and also for furniture and furnishings, is equal to 50 percent of the expense. To get the bonus, the purchase must be made on the occasion of a building renovation or extraordinary interventions, both on individual residential real estate units and on common parts of buildings for residential use. “The deduction – specifies the Revenue Agency – is also due when the purchased goods are intended to furnish a different environment of the same building subject to building intervention”. On the other hand, the concession is not granted for simple works in the individual apartments, for example painting walls and ceilings, laying new floors, refurbishing interior plasters.

What are the subsidized appliances
The large household appliances category – the source is always the Revenue Agency – includes: refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, hobs, electric stoves, traditional and microwave ovens, hot plates, electric heaters, radiators, fans and away listing. The individual pieces, to be able to make the deduction, must have an energy class not lower than A +, for ovens we start from A.

Maximum limit of deductible expenditure: 10 thousand euros
The 50 per cent deduction must be calculated on a maximum amount of 10 thousand euros, referring, overall, to the disbursement for new furniture and large appliances. Among the scalable expenses you can include those for transport and assembly. The “discount” will be divided and spread over ten installments and ten years, with shares of the same amount. The limit of 10 thousand euros concerns the single real estate unit. The taxpayer who carries out renovations in two or more accommodations is entitled to two or more deductions.

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How to use our appliances better to spend less

Save money with the washing machine

The energy class of your washing machine (if it is a few years old), remember that water and electricity consumption have halved compared to washing machines that are between 5 and 10 years old compared to new models.

Keep in mind that you should:

  • Do the washing machine only with a full load
  • Avoid “half load” programs because they do not produce half the consumption (but almost the consumption of a normal wash cycle)
  • Do not use the prewash program (but you can do a simple soak)
  • Use medium-low washing temperatures (between 30-60 degrees )
  • Save money with the dryer

Remember that we all have a way to dry laundry at no cost: 

Class A dryers no longer use a resistance system to heat clothes and dry them, but use a heat pump that allows you to save a lot of electricity.

Electricity consumption per drying cycle is always quite high, so you can save money by reducing usage.

Saving money with the dishwasher

Since 2011, the old models of Class B or Class D dishwashers can no longer be marketed. Of course, you may still have a Class B dishwasher in your kitchen, so the first tip is to consider replacing it with a better energy class appliance.

Surely you know that there are scientific studies that have shown how the use of the dishwasher reduces the consumption of water compared to washing by hand (we are talking about a saving of 40% of water).

Here are some tips (which are always good to remember)

  • Clean the filter weekly (the clogged filter increases the dishwasher’s consumption)
  • Use short and low temperature washing programs (use longer programs only for heavily soiled dishes)
  • Use the dishwasher with a full load
  • If possible, deactivate the drying program (drying is the real responsible for the dishwasher’s energy consumption, just open the appliance when the dishes are still hot to obtain good drying results)
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