US: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved final amendments to its R-Value rule for domestic insulation products following a two-year review period. The changes are intended to reduce the regulation’s burden, clarify its requirements, and make it easier for the FTC to take action against deceptive R-value claims for non-insulation products.
The R-value rule originally came into effect in 1979. It requires home insulation manufacturers, professional installers, new home sellers, and retailers to provide R-value information, based on the results of standard tests, to help inform consumers. An insulation product’s ‘R-value’ represents the product’s ability to restrict heat flow and thus reduce energy costs.