Few trades have an FTC case file written about their energy claims. In February 2012 the Commission settled with five replacement window companies over savings it said they could not support, and the orders still read like a list of what turns up in window ads.
What the companies claimed. Gorell Enterprises ran a “40% Energy Savings Pledge” and promised to repay the difference, up to $500, if a homeowner fell short in the first year. Long Fence & Home advertised “50% Energy Savings Guaranteed” and put a savings calculator on its website. THV Holdings’ telemarketing scripts said its windows would “cut energy bills in half” and “pay for themselves in energy savings alone in 8 years”. Winchester Industries told buyers they would “reduce energy costs by 47%”. In each case the FTC said the company lacked a reasonable basis for the number.
What the orders require. Each company was barred from claiming a specific amount or percentage of savings without competent and reliable scientific evidence. An “up to” claim gets no shortcut: the seller needs evidence that all or almost all consumers are likely to reach the maximum. A claim that only holds under certain conditions, such as replacing a particular frame material in a particular region, has to disclose those conditions clearly and close to the claim.
What EPA itself says. The ENERGY STAR program, which exists to promote certified products, puts the saving at an average of up to 13% on heating and cooling for certified windows, doors and skylights against non-certified ones, and at an average of 12% on household energy bills for certified windows. Its own guidance adds that new windows “may not pay for themselves in energy savings alone”, and points instead to comfort and a higher sale value. Certified products are independently tested and verified through the National Fenestration Rating Council.
What to say instead. The government’s averages, quoted with their qualifiers. The certification, and the rated U-factor and solar heat gain printed on the label. The comfort and resale value ENERGY STAR itself names. A savings calculator, a pledge or a percentage in a headline needs test evidence on file before it runs, and in our experience few window companies have it. Next to a competitor promising half off the heating bill, the quote that does not exaggerate is the one a careful homeowner trusts.
