Search
How to Insulate Your Water Heater

Wrapping a water heater in insulation can save 4-9 percent in water heating costs. If the tank is warm to the touch, it needs insulation. Insulating an electric heater is a DIY project; a plumber should handle an oil heater.

Ask for a water heater blanket or jacket at a hardware or home supply store. These cost about $20, are generally made of fiberglass, and some come with cutout holes for pipes and coils and tape for securing it.

Have a dust mask, a marker, duct tape, and a utility knife. It will be easier if two people work together.

Turn off the heater and the circuit breaker on your electric panel.

Set the heater's thermostat to 130 degrees or a bit below - any higher and the insulation could overheat the wiring.

Use a mask if the blanket is made of fiberglass.

Wrap the blanket around the tank, tape it up temporarily, and mark where the cutouts will go (if not pre-cut): for the control panel, coils, pipes, and the unit's safety and product information.

Cut out the holes, re-wrap the heater, and secure it with tape.

If the blanket does not come with a round piece for covering the top of the tank, measure and cut one, and again include cutouts for pipes coming out of the tank.

Turn the heater back on and save money!

Related Resources

Related Articles
Related Eco Categories

Topics
Tip of the Day

Glossary
Site Resources

 
Advertisement

Quiz of the Day
    Q: When fresh local produce is unavailable, which option for buying fruits and vegetables is most environmentally sound in terms of the energy used to grow and transport them?

Green Tip of the Day
   Avoid the Rush Hour

If you have a flexible work schedule, try to arrange your day so that you can avoid the...

 >>Continue

Word of the Day
   High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter

You might know it as a designation for vacuum cleaner or air purifiers. In a consumer context, "HEPA" has become overused and has lost its technical meaning. The one in your vacuum cleaner is probably just a decent filter. On the other hand, the filters used in nuclear, pharmaceutical, and medical facilities, as well as in asbestos, lead, and mold abatement must meet certain requirements. Those high-grade HEPA filters must be at least 99.97 percent efficient at trapping particles 0.3 microns (about 300 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair) in size-you can see how a vacuum cleaner with those standards wouldn't be of much use cleaning your carpet. The HEPA requirements are set by the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST), a not-for-profit that creates standards and recommended practices.
Go to Definition

How to Guides
   How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

It has been shown that the air inside homes is often more polluted than outdoor air. Maybe you...

 >>Read More
Copyright © BlueEgg.com. All rights reserved.
No part of the content or the data or information included herein may be reproduced, replicated or redistributed without the prior written permission of BlueEgg.com.
Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Use Agreement and Privacy Policy.