Insulating your hot water pipes will keep the hot water hotter in between hot water uses so that you will not have to wait as long for hot water. For longer runs in the house, especially in unheated parts of the house, your hot water will be hotter when it gets to the shower or faucet. You will be able to turn down your water heater even more if you are able to insulate all of your hot water pipes.
What You Should Know
It is recommended that you insulate the hot water pipes on your hot water heater for three feet on both the hot and cold water pipes. The cold water pipe acts like a radiator on the hot water heater so it needs insulation too. The more you can insulate on the hot water pipe the better. This will save on heat up water and energy as well as reducing the cooling between hot water usage.
Easy Things You Can Do
- Insulate the first three feet of both hot and cold pipes on your water heater. Insulation is available at most hardware stores and is easy to install if you get the kind with the adhesive strip in it.
- Insulate all the pipes you can access. The more you can insulate the hot water pipes the better. This might get harder to do depending on the access to the pipes, in the attic or under the house.
Source: Rebuilding Together ENERGY TEAM GUIDEBOOK January 2002 by Dr. Lisa Gartland, Green Action Guide, the Green Team Project, Acterra (David Coale)