Should I Insulate My Water Heater?

Written on: October 16, 2023

A DIY Guide

Water heaters do a lot for your household. Unfortunately, they often get taken for granted. It’s only when one breaks down that most people realize how much they really do. Think about this: You probably use 65 gallons of hot water a day. You need hot water to bathe, wash dishes, wash hands, do the laundry, and more. Chances are, water heating accounts for roughly 20% of your household’s energy costs.

Considering how much water heating can affect the energy bills for your Hudson Valley home, it stands to reason that you wouldn’t want to heat more water than you need to.

Just like insulating your home, insulating you water heater’s tank is a simple and inexpensive way to improve its energy efficiency. You’ll see the savings on your bill each month.

Especially if you have an older water heater, check the R value of your water heater’s insulation. It should be at least 24. If you’re not sure of the R value, touch the tank. If it’s warm to the touch that means the water in your tank is losing heat (standby heat loss) and you’d benefit from insulating your tank. Adding insulation to your water heater could reduce its standby heat loss by as much as 45% and save you up to 16% in water heating costs. You should make the money back you spend on insulation materials in a year or less.

Tips for Insulating Your Water Heater

The following steps and tips for insulating your water heater come from the US Department of Energy.

Before you begin…

• Check with your utility to see if they offer water heater insulating blankets at low prices or offer rebates. Some utilities even install these at a low or no cost.
• Make sure your water heater isn’t leaking. If your tank leaks, you need a new water heater.
• For an electric water heater, you might also consider insulating underneath the tank as well. A ridged piece of insulation (or bottom board) will help prevent heat loss into the floor and could save you an additional 9% of water heating energy. This is best done when installing a new water heater.

If you’re going to insulate your water heater yourself, get a friend or family member to help. The job requires two sets of hands.

Materials you’ll need…

• Dust mask
• Electrical or other tape (included with most insulation blanket kits)
• Gloves
• Marker
• Scissors
• Tape measure
• Water heater insulating blanket kit

How Do I Insulate My Water Heater?

Here are the steps to follow when insulating you water heater:

1. Turn off your water heater. (If you have an electric water heater, turn off the breaker at the electric panel.)
2. Measure your water heater’s height.
3. If necessary, cut the blanket to fit.
4. Wrap the blanket around the tank and temporarily tape it in place.
5. Use a marker to indicate where the controls are so you can cut the blanket to accommodate them.
6. Install the blanket.
7. Turn the water heater back on.

Should You Go Tankless?

Prefer not to worry about standby energy loss? Simply upgrade to a tankless water heater. You’ll get more comfort with better energy efficiency. And with no tank, there’s no need to insulate or worry about things like corrosion or tank failure and all the damage that can go hand in hand with those issues.

Trust Downey

You can trust Downey Energy for quality water heater installation, maintenance, and repairs. Downey Energy has been serving residential and commercial clients in the Hudson Valley for more than a century. We have earned the loyalty of our customers through our dedication to service and reliability. Make us your reliable water heater installation and service provider.

Contact Downey Energy today to learn more about the water heater sales and services we provide.