If there’s one way to save money and energy around your home – that is to insulate your water supply pipes. After all, insulating these pipes can be a great idea for several reasons. It can also prevent the situation where you need to call a plumber for a water heater repair. Thus, if you decide to get your water pipes insulated, make sure you consider the climate of the place where you live in.

In this article, we’ll discuss the reasons why water pipe insulation is essential to ensure the functionality of your overall plumbing system.

Insulating Hot Water Pipes

Getting your hot water pipes insulated can be very beneficial for you and your family. Besides, it’ll always make sense if you decide to cover these pipes in your home. It’s not only inexpensive but it’ll keep the heat from escaping. What makes this project amazing is that you can do the process by yourself without paying an enormous amount of money.

Moreover, insulating your hot water pipes will allow you to minimize heat loss, resulting in 3% to 4% energy savings every year. The insulation will also keep the water temperature hotter than those with uninsulated pipes.

Not only will you be able to adjust the temperature settings but you’ll not need to wait for so long before the water heats up. That being said, you can conserve a lot of water since you don’t have to run the shower for a longer period just to have it heat up.

If you’re looking to insulate your home’s hot water pipes, here’s what you need to do from the very beginning:

  • Use some rags to wipe your pipes clean.
  • Make sure you wrap the pipes with the insulation lightly so it’ll not compromise some of the wrap’s insulation properties.
  • Apply some insulation techniques to completely insulate the valves, fittings, and the elbows.
  • Use a scissor to cut the leftover edges, if there’s any.
  • Use a duct tape to wrap around the insulation wrap. Don’t cover the pipe with duct tape directly as it’ll get hot.
  • Open the circuit breaker and turn off the switch that controls the power of the hot water tank.
  • Take time to measure the different lengths of pipes you need to insulate.
  • Once you’re done with the measurement, use your utility knife or scissors to cut the varying lengths of insulation you require.
  • Put the pieces of insulation on the pipes.
  • Take off one by one the pieces of insulation from the pipes and be sure to remove the adhesive tape from the seam.
  • Get your silver tape to secure the insulation so it’ll stay in place for a long time.
  • Now that you have your hot water pipes insulated, turn the power back on to the hot water tank.

Insulating Cold Water Pipes

In many times, the issue of insulation and cold water pipes is a little more complicated. Even if it’s not expensive, the decision on whether to insulate your pipes depends upon the climate you have in your place.

Insulating your cold water pipes will prevent them from freezing especially if the temperature decreases in colder climates. When your pipes are located in a conditioned space, they will more likely not absorb heat. Also, your cold pipes are susceptible to condensation problems in a humid climate. But if you have fully insulated cold water pipes, you’re good to go as it’ll not produce moisture on the surface. Remember, water pipe insulation will help keep the heat energy inside, protecting the pipes from freezing.

Another benefit of insulating pipes is that the costs are quite minimal. You can do the work by yourself or you can pay someone to perform the insulation for you. At the very least, the savings you’ll collect from the insulation will compensate for the costs of getting a professional to come and do the project.

If you plan to insulate your cold water pipes, here are the things you must consider from the get-go:

  • Find the cabinet doors underneath the sinks located on the outside walls.
  • Let the hot and cold water soaked in faucets.
  • Use foam covers and place them over the outdoor spouts.
  • Use a foam pipe insulation to insulate the water pipes.

Conclusion

Insulating your home’s water pipes is a significant decision you have to make. Whether it’s a hot or cold water pipe, the process of insulation comes with great benefits. By keeping these tips in mind, you can be able to make a huge difference in your home-heating bills. If you want to get the most out of your plumbing system, be sure to call a licensed plumber to come over and conduct a thorough inspection. That way, you’ll get a general idea of whether you should have your water pipes insulated or not.