Don’t let the energy that you purchase for your home escape through uninsulated water pipes! Most water pipes are not insulated, which means they are losing heat and causing the water heater to work harder. In fact, un-insulated pipes can be 2º–4ºF colder than insulated ones, which costs you not only in your water-heating bill, but also in water wasted as you wait for the tap to get hot. If your pipes are warm to the touch, “sweat” (cause precipitation), or go through unheated areas, then you should insulate them. Pre-slit foam pipe insulation, also called pipe sleeves, is available at most hardware stores. Rigid foam has the highest R-value – insulates the best – so go with that if you want to save the most energy. Just snap them onto pipes and seal the ends of adjoining pieces with duct tape.
If your water heater was installed before 2004, install a water heater blanket, or insulating jacket, to keep in the heat. The improved efficiency will allow you to turn down the temperature on your water thermostat—to the tune of 4% to 9% of your energy bill. You also will not have to wait so long for hot water from the faucet, meaning you save water as well.
Did you know that installing an insulating jacket on an old hot water heater will reduce standby heat loss—heat
lost through the walls of the tank—by 25–40%?
All of that heat that would otherwise be
wasted is pure energy, generated by burning coal and other nonrenewables that contribute to global warming.
Did you know that if everyone in the UK fitted a hot water cylinder jacket, there would be enough CO2
saved per year to fill nearly 5.2 million double-decker buses?
The Energy Savings Trust gives that
statistic for the UK, but imagine the difference that insulation could make in the U.S., where the population is five times
bigger than the UK!
Did you know that water heating can account for 14%–25% of the energy
consumed in your home?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating is a huge energy drain.
Take steps to reduce your carbon footprint by putting less energy into your water temperature.
2.Johnston, David & Kim Master. Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time (215, 285). Gabriola Island, Canada: New Society Publishers, 2004.
3.Amann, Jennifer Thorne, Alex Wilson, & Katie Ackerly. Save Money, Save the Earth: Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings (94, 145). Gabriola Island, Canada: New Society Publishers, 2007.
4.American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. [August 2007]. Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings: Condensed Online Version. Available from: http://www.aceee.org/consumerguide/waterheating.htm [23 July 2008].
