Insulate hot water heater

Just like insulating your walls or roof, insulating your hot water tank is an easy and inexpensive way to improve energy efficiency and save you money each month. If your water tank is new, it is likely already insulated. If a water heater is warm to the touch, it is wasting power.

Fitting a blanket to an electric heater is straightforward. FAQ: Should I insulate my Water Heater ? SLS Comments So there you are walking through your favorite home improvement store and there is an insulation blanket or kit for water heaters. For gas water heaters do not allow water heater insulation to come within 2” of the floor to prevent blockage of combustion air flow to the burner. An insulation blanket is not recommended for a water heater located where its lost heat could be utilized.

Nor is a blanket necessary if you have a new water heater that is factory insulated with R-or better. Starting at the water heater , measure lengths of insulation needed to cover all accessible hot water pipes, especially the first feet of pipe from the water heater. Wrapping an insulating blanket around the tank and insulating the water pipes ensures the water from your water heater remains hot.

Many buyers say that it also improves the temperature of their hot water. Dave Mars shows you how to insulate an electric or gas water heater to save energy and money. Unsubscribe from Columbia Water and Light? Tie in new hot and cold water lines to the existing water lines with copper pipe and run the lines to the new water heater.

Use bell hangers to hold pipe securely in place against the wall – this will also make it easy to apply pipe insulation later. If the pipe is straight, there are pre-cut foam insulation tubes that you can buy. This article discusses when and how water heater tanks may be insulated , gives important water heater insulation safety warnings, and discusses whether you should insulate your water heater at all. This discussion is part of a series of articles on how to improve the hot water pressure, quantity, flow, and water temperature safety in a building.

The water heater is the second biggest energy user in your home. Help it maintain the correct water temperature by adding extra insulation around the outside of the tank. Faster Hot Water Delivery?

Well I hate to say this but someone needs to study up on hydrodynamics. Do you really need water heater insulation , or is it not worth it? The blanket insulates water heaters. Try insulating your hot water heater. This is an inexpensive project—the investment in parts will generally pay for itself in one year—and can be done in just a few hours.

Heating water is the second highest use of energy in the home. Super insulate your hot water tank. I like the water heater fiber insulation with aluminum foil exterior with aluminum tape just because when your done your water. W hen I began my home inspection career, I was told that one should never insulate a gas hot water heater by other home inspectors.

Steps for insulating pipes: Measure. Using a sharp tool, cut the pipe sleeve or fiberglass pipe wrap to the lengths needed. Your utility company has instructions. Electric water heaters in particular can have great tank insulation.

If your tank is enormous, has a plastic shell and is domed on top you’ve got good insulation. Gas water heaters tend to not have such good insulation. I do think it’s a good idea to insulate any water heater tank that came with fiberglass insulation. A higher delivered water temperature means that you have the option to turn your water heater down by a few degrees. Measure the hot water pipes – Start at the water heater and measure the lengths of insulation needed to cover all accessible hot water pipes.

The first three feet of pipe from the water heater are essential. Cut the pipe sleeve – Cut the insulation to the lengths you have already measured. The hot water pipes should be insulated to retain as much of the heat as possible. Since I installed our hot water heater blanket I haven’t noticed much of a difference.

But if you live in Phoenix, AZ and keep your hot water heater in your garage, it’s not as important to use an insulation blanket because the temperature difference. I found a big energy hog – my hot water heater. M ost American homes use tank style water heaters. These water heaters hold many gallons of water and cycle on and off to continually heat the water. By reducing heat loss from the tank, you can reduce the cost to heat water by as much as (according to the U.S.

Dept of Energy). Sometimes opening a hot water faucet on a sink helps the water heater tank to empty faster. Also insulate the first three feet of water pipe entering the hot water heater. This is because heat can escape from the hot water heater through the cold water pipes, too.

Archives for should i insulate my water heater. Home Inspections in the Twin Cities. It's also a good idea to insulate the cold- water inlet pipes for the first feet. Typically, water heaters are covered with packed insulation to keep them from being hot to the touch. However, this insulation should never come near the flame.

It’s possible that the insulation can come in contact with the flame and cause a burning plastic or burning rubber smell. Insulation Blankets for Water Heaters.