According to the Energy Information Administration, water heating accounts for approximately 18 percent of your home’s energy usage. To help save energy dollars, having an efficient water heater is only one part of the equation. You may be losing heat in the distribution piping from your water heater (even an energy efficient one) to your home’s faucets. Wrapping the exposed pipes from your water heater will aid in keeping the heat in the pipes and will help save you money. Below are instructions on how to properly install pipe wrap.
Supplies/Tools:
- Pipe Wrap
- Duct Tape
- Knife
- Tape Measure
- Remove any old pipe insulation.
- Measure the circumference of your existing pipe to determine what size pipe insulation you need. The measurement may be listed on the pipe itself (3/4 of an inch in the example).
- Measure the length of pipe insulation that you need and cut to the proper length.
- Open the slit in the insulation and slide over the pipe. Continue steps 3 and 4 until the entire exposed pipe is covered.
- To secure insulation in place, tape the length of the slit.