Each year during Memorial Day Weekend, the Lone Star State provides a sales tax holiday for certain Energy Star products. Last year, Texas extended the tax-free period to WaterSense and certain other water-efficiency products, and it worked so well that the state is doing it again. In 2017, the combined energy- and water-efficient tax-free period runs Saturday, May 27 through Monday, May 29. There’s no limit to the number of qualifying items one consumer can purchase, but not all Energy Star and water-efficiency products are eligible for the exemption.

Exempt energy-efficient products

The following items are exempt from sales tax during the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday if marked with the Energy Star label: Air conditioners costing $6,000 or less

Ceiling fans

Clothes washers

Dehumidifiers

Dishwashers

Incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs

Refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less These items may be purchased tax-free by both individuals and businesses (to keep in inventory).

Exempt water-conserving products

Any product marked with a WaterSense label or logo is eligible for the sales tax exemption provided during the Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday, whether purchased for business or individual use. Examples of these exempt products include high-efficiency toilets, sink faucets, and showerheads. In addition, water-conservation products used or planted for conserving or retaining groundwater, recharging water tables, or decreasing the ambient air temperature are exempt, but only when purchased for personal use (on the buyer’s personal residential property). Exempt water-conserving products include: Moisture control for a sprinkler or irrigation system

Mulch

Permeable ground cover surface that allows water to reach underground aquifers, basins, or water collection points

Plants, trees, and grasses

Rain barrel or alternative rain and moisture collection system

Soaker or drip-irrigation hose

Soil and compost

Water-saving surfactants Contractors and landscapers cannot purchase the above products tax-free to keep in inventory or use on new or existing residential or commercial properties.

Not exempt

The following products are not exempt during the sales tax holiday: Awnings and other items used to create shade

Beverage chillers, kegerators, or wine refrigerators

Building and construction materials

Clothes dryers

Freezers

Heat pumps

Sprinklers

Stoves

Water heaters

Devilish details that can trip up compliance