What if we told you there was a way to insulate your water heater which would reduce standby heat loss by up to 45% and save up to 16% on your water heating bills, with just a $30 product and 1 trip to your local Koopman Lumber? You’d think we were crazy, and you’d be wrong!
If you have a water heater or water storage tank, it needs to keep water hot 24/7/365. Every minute of the day, it’s going to be working to make sure you have hot water when you need it. While these tanks are great at heating and storing water, they’re not so great at retaining that heat meaning your paying for this tank to keep reheating the same water. There is a way around this madness, and that is adding an insulated cover to your water heaters or hot water tanks.
Why Insulate your Water Heater?
Whenever you’re storing something that isn’t at room temperature, you’re likely using energy to keep it that way, and that costs money. Think about things in your house like your refrigerator or freezer. They use electricity to keep your food cold in the same way your water heater uses a power source to keep water hot.
Unlike a fridge or freezer, most water heater or hot water storage tanks practically ooze temperature differentials into the surrounding room, which usually leads to a nice warm boiler room that no one goes int to, and higher water heating costs over the course of the year.
Just take a look at what adding a simple insulating cover can do!
Tips in Two – Water Heater Insulation from Koopman Lumber on Vimeo.
As you can see from the video, simply applying a hot water blanket will keep your water warmer, longer, and save you money throughout the year! The temperature on the outside of the tank is over 115 degrees, whereas the room temperature was around 75 degrees. Without the blanket, that storage tank would essentially be heating that basement room and wasting energy and money heating a space that does not need to be heated.
How Do I Install It?
Installation is super easy – It should take you about two hours (or longer if you live far away from a Koopman Lumber), cost you $30, and require almost no maintenance whatsoever! Here’s how you do it:
- Head down to your local Koopman Lumber and pick one up for $30. We’ll wait.
- Turn off the water heater.
- For electric heaters, turn off the breaker at the electric panel. For gas water heaters, turn the gas valve to the “Pilot” position.
- Measure the height of the water heater and cut the blanket to fit if necessary.
- Leave the top of the water heater open—it is important not to block the vent on top of a gas unit.
- Wrap the blanket around the water heater and temporarily tape it in place.
- For ease of installation, position the blanket so that the ends do not come together over the access panels in the side of the tank. Some tanks have only one access panel.
- Using a marker, mark the areas where controls are so that you can cut them out.
- For electric water heater units, there will be two panels on the side of the tank. For gas, you’ll need to mark an arch-shaped hole around the gas valves and burner. Be sure to leave plenty of room around the valve and burner areas below. Make the opening at least 1 inch wider than the valve and burner area. Also, mark the area where the pressure relief valve and pipe are. This will be a pipe that sticks out of the side of the water heater.
- Install the blanket.
- Be careful to line up the cut out areas and then tape it in permanently in place.
- Turn the water heater back on.
- Don’t set the thermostat above 130ºF on electric water heater with an insulating jacket or blanket – the wiring may overheat.
Wrap up
This Do It Yourself project could not be easier or more affordable! Just stop into Koopman Lumber, grab the blanket and a roll of duct tape, wrap up your water heater and you’re instantly saving money! Give it a shot this weekend, and you’ll be saving money 365 days a year!
Have questions or comments? Reach out to us! Leave a comment below or contact us over at www.koopmanlumber.com. Thanks for reading!
