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How to Insulate Water Heaters, Pipes and Attic Spaces

Adding insulation is an inexpensive way to greatly reduce energy costs.

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2 x 4 Board Foam insulation, snap-on Gloves Goggles Insulation jacket Insulation, blanket Respirator Staple gun Tape measure Utility knife Ventilation baffles

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How to Insulate Water Heaters, Pipes and Attic Spaces

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" Get smart about remodeling your home with green remodeling tips from bobvila.com. Brought to you by Rinnai tankless water heaters. The hot way to heat water. Insulation is a very inexpensive project, but it will greatly reduce your energy cost by holding heat inside your home. You can purchase an insulating jacket for an electric water heater. Following the directions that come with it, wrap the jacket around the water heater and secure it in place with the tape supplied. While you're in the basement, you can keep the hot water from cooling on the way to the upstairs faucet. Snap-on foam insulation is easy to install. Cover as much of the exposed hot water pipes as you can. Where the pipes take a turn, cut the ends of the insulation at an angle with a utility knife so that the ends of the insulation touch. When you're done, you'll have a completely insulated jacket around the hot water pipes, leading all the way to the floor. Because heat rises, the biggest heat loss is in the attic and crawl spaces. Adding an additional layer of insulation padding over the existing insulation will stop the heat from heading out the roof. When adding existing insulation, un-faced fiberglass blanket is recommended. When handling fiberglass, be sure to wear a high-quality respirator and a long sleeve shirt, also wear gloves to protect your hands from irritation. The vents in your eave allow your house to breathe. Check to see that the existing insulation and the new blanket do not block the flow of"

" When all the spaces under the eaves are filled with squares of fiberglass, rows of padding should be laid at right angles over the remaining existing insulation. Continue to lay sections of padding at right angles until the space is filled. Keep the insulation 3 inches away from metal clues or recessed lighting fixtures in the ceiling below. This extra layer of attic insulation, "

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