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Home Insulation and Energy Labels: Comparing Energy-Saving Purchases

This guide presents selected U.S. government consumer education from Federal Trade Commission. References to “we” or “us” in the source material refer to the issuing agency. Source dates and links appear below.

What To Know When You’re Buying Home Insulation

Regardless of where you live in the country, your home will be more comfortable and energy efficient with the right insulation. Here’s what you need to know when you’re choosing insulation.

Insulation Can Save You Money

Heat travels. In the winter, heat flows out. In the summer, heats flow in. A properly insulated home cuts down on that heat flow, so you don’t use as much energy to heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer. Using less energy — or using energy more efficiently — could mean money in your pocket.

Buying Insulation

The first thing to look for when you buy insulation is the R-value. "R" means resistance to heat flow.

Here’s what to know:

  • The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power.
  • Almost all insulation products have to tell you their R-value — including duct wrap. Pipe and duct insulation are the only exceptions.

So, if you’re looking at insulation with an R-value of 38 from Company A and an R-value of 38 from Company B, you’ll know the two products offer the same level of insulation. That’s true even for different kinds of insulation — say, if one is blanket insulation, which comes in batts and rolls, and the other is loose-fill insulation, which comes as loose fibers or fiber pellets and requires special equipment to blow it into a space.

R-value Labeling

The FTC enforces the R-value Rule, which ensures that you get accurate, honest information about the R-value of your insulation before you buy it, have it installed, or buy a new home. 

Under the Rule:

  • Manufacturers must label their packages of insulation
  • Installers and retailers must provide fact sheets
  • New home sellers must include this information in sales contracts. If you’re having trouble getting information about the R-value from a seller or installer, consider buying from someone else.

The Right R-value for Your Home

Several factors affect the R-value your home needs:

  • Where you live. The amount of insulation you need will depend on the climate. You’ll need more insulation if you live in a cold climate like the Northeast than if you live in a warm climate like Southern California.
  • How your home is built, and where the insulation will be. Is it a single-level or multi-level structure? Do you have cathedral ceilings? Is there a basement, or is your home built on a slab? Each of these factors helps determine the level of insulation your home needs. It’s more efficient to use insulation with higher R-values in the attic and in rooms with cathedral ceilings than in wood frame walls, basements, or crawl spaces with walls.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has answers about what R-value you might need based on your zip code and information you enter about your home. Your local home improvement store also may have information to help you determine your insulation needs.

A good way to see where energy is being wasted in your home is to do a home energy audit, or assessment, which involves looking at your heating system, insulation, windows, doors, and other parts of your home to see where you might be losing energy.

You can get a professional assessment or do it yourself. Your utility company might offer free or low-cost energy assessments, or refer you to someone who does. You also can check with your state or local government energy or weatherization office for recommendations. Read Heating and Cooling Your Home for Less to learn more.

Report Problems

Report problems to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How To Use the EnergyGuide Label To Shop for Home Appliances

The less energy an appliance like a refrigerator or dishwasher uses, the less it costs to run — which means more money in your pocket each year. The EnergyGuide label is the yellow tag you’ll find attached to most home appliances, and it tells you how much energy that appliance uses. Here’s what to know about using the EnergyGuide label when you shop. 

EnergyGuide FAQs

How do I use the EnergyGuide label?

The EnergyGuide label lets you know how much energy an appliance uses and see how it compares to the energy use of similar appliances.

Even if an energy efficient appliance costs more to buy, it can save you money on your utility bills over time. Here’s an example of what you can find out from an EnergyGuide label: 

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Do all appliances have EnergyGuide labels?

No. Here’s a list of the ones that do:

  • boilers
  • ceiling fans
  • central air conditioners
  • clothes washers
  • dishwashers
  • freezers
  • furnaces
  • heat pumps
  • pool heaters
  • refrigerators
  • televisions
  • water heaters
  • room and portable air conditioners

Is the estimated operating cost what I’ll likely pay each year?

No. It’s only an estimate, based on typical use and a national average price for energy. Your cost will depend on how you use the appliance and your local energy price.

What if I don’t see an EnergyGuide label on an appliance?

Look inside the appliance — the label might be there. Or check the seller’s or manufacturer’s websites.

What is the ENERGY STAR program?

The ENERGY STAR program encourages the use of energy-efficient products that protect the environment and save money. The ENERGY STAR label helps you identify high-efficiency models. To qualify for the ENERGY STAR, a product must meet energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Learn more at energystar.gov.

Is there anything else I should do or look for when I’m shopping for an appliance?

  1. Measure. You need a space that’s large enough for the appliance, lets you open the appliance door or lid fully, and has enough clearance for safe ventilation.
  2. Read reviews. Product reviews from experts can be helpful when you’re looking at appliances. Reviews can tell you things like how noisy they are, how much water they use, and how likely it is they’ll need repairs. Customers’ online reviews also can help you spot common complaints. Search for the company or product name with words like “review” or “complaint.” Read reviews from several sources.

Are there any other benefits to buying an energy efficient appliance?

Ask about special energy efficiency offers. Your salesperson or utility company might have information about cash rebates, low-interest loans, or other incentive programs in your area for people who buy energy-efficient products. Also visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency for information about government- and utility-sponsored incentives.

For More Information

Shopping for Light Bulbs

Need to replace a light bulb? People used to shop for light bulbs by the watt, but wattage only tells you how much energy a bulb uses — not how bright it is. That takes lumens. Here’s what to know as you shop around for a new light bulb.

What Are Lumens?

Today’s light bulbs are designed to use less energy, so wattage isn’t a reliable way to gauge a light bulb’s brightness. Lumens measure brightness: more lumens means brighter, while fewer lumens means dimmer.

  • lumens = brightness
  • watts = energy

For example, a traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens of light. By comparison, you can find an LED (light-emitting diode) bulb that produces that same 800 lumens but uses only about 9 watts.

How Bright Is the Light?

This graphic shows the number of lumens produced by traditional incandescent bulbs. If you’re looking to buy a bulb with the amount of light you used to get from a 60-watt bulb, for example, you’ll now look for 800 lumens.

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Once you know how bright a bulb you want, compare factors like the yearly energy cost, which is on the Lighting Facts label.

What Is the Lighting Facts Label?

The Lighting Facts label is on light bulb packages. It gives you information to compare different bulbs, including

  • brightness (in lumens)
  • yearly estimated energy cost
  • expected bulb life (in years)
  • light appearance (how warm or cool the light will look)
  • wattage (the energy used)
  • if the bulb contains mercury

For many shoppers, the light appearance, or color temperature, of the bulb matters a lot. The Lighting Facts label will tell you where that bulb falls on the warm (more yellow) to cool (more blue) range.

The label might include the Energy Star logo if the bulb meets the energy efficiency and performance standards of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR program. For more on ENERGY STAR standards, visit energystar.gov.

What’s on the Bulb?

The number of lumens is printed on the bulb. If the bulb is a CFL (compact fluorescent), it might be on the bulb’s base. CFLs also include a web address, epa.gov/cfl, for information on safe recycling and disposal. Since CFLs contain mercury, it’s important to clean up and dispose of CFLs if they break.

Where To Learn More

Learn more about shopping for light bulbs at energy.gov.

Sources and publication details

The federal agency source text is U.S. government work in the public domain. Fynoptic selected, adapted, and formatted it for this guide. No agency endorsement is implied. Follow the linked sources for current program details and the rules applicable to your circumstances.

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