I have heard that if you wrap your hot water heater and pipes leading from it with a blanket it will help save you money. Has anyone tried this? What do you use to wrap the tank and/or pipes?? Thanks.
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There is a special insulated 'blanket" that is used to wrap the hot water tank and it saves a ton of electricty (according to the hydro company!) At one time our provincial hydro company sent a man around who put the blanket on for us- can't remember but I"m sure we paid something for the service. There are cut out sections for the controls, etc.
Living in New England it is a "must" that we wrap our hot water heater. The blanket is made from fiberglass and coated in a type of plastic. It fits snugly around the water heater and has its own fasteners. The pipes can be covered with pipe insulation, of which there are different types. The easiest & cheapest type is made of foam and has a slit in one side so you just slip it over the pipe.
The home stores like Lowes or HD sell kits for wrapping water heaters. It is insulation material with a tyvek type coat attached. You wrap the water heater with the coat and seal it with the duct tape enclosed.Putting the foam snap on wrap on your pipes is very helpful. I have that on all my hot water pipes under the house, in the walls and at the water heater connection.It comes in different widths, so measure the length you need of each size.
I had considered wrapping mine, since it's in an unheated basement, but the water heater itself has a warning in big, bold letters not to use one. Are they maybe hoping my heating element burns itself out trying to keep the water warm or what?
TerryfromChilliOH
With modern water heaters, my understanding is that the blanket does not make a big difference unless in extreme conditions (like the folks with the water heater in an unheated garage). Modern one are pretty well insulated. Water heaters that use gas or oil, on the other hand, should not have a wrap - i have seen gas water heaters with the draft tube rotted out from an insulation blanket.
I thought what a great idea, wrapping the pipes instead of using a blanket. But the more I thought about it, I don't think I will bother. There are only about 10 or 12 inches of my pipes exposed and I really doubt insulating those few inches will make a difference. If I had access to the pipes in the walls or under the house, I would definitely do it however.
Hi Lori,
I have heard the same but would be curious if someone who knows for sure will reply. I think they sell the "blankets" at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.
Jennifer
Northern Virginia (where it gets COLD) lol
You can get the thermo wraps at lowes, home depot and building materials stores. It does help to wrap.
Garfield
You need a water heater blanket, sold at all hdware sroes and stores that sell water heaters. DO NOT use a regular bed blanket.
I don't know about wrapping with blankets but I have foam insulation tubes that you can buy at a hardware or home improvement store to wrap around the pipes.They come in different diameters to fit the size pipes you have and are not that expensive. A friend of mine bought me three different packages since the pipes in my basement are different sizes.
LI Roe
They sell the blankets at Home Depot or Lowe's. They are made just for the purpose so they will know what you are talking about. We have used one for years. Our hot water heater is in the unheated garage. I don't know how much of a difference it will make because we got it as soon as we moved in. I don't know if using one helped our hot water heater last longer but we have a neighborhood well that leaves lots of hard water stains in my sinks and toilets. But my hot water heater lasted for 16 years.....makes me wonder if the blanket helped it not work so hard...saw quite a few neighbors replacing hot water heaters newer than ours.
We have done this with the last 3 houses we have owned. They make a blanket especially for this. About 10 years ago it was about $20 at Lowe's. Our builder of our first home told us about this and so we have always done it.
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