by Chuck Harding

Created on: February 21, 2009

Hot water is expensive . . . so why waste it? Why not insulate those hot water pipes and pocket the savings? You surely have something you'd rather be spending the money on. Don't you? Perhaps you've thought about insulating them but you're not sure how to do it or how much it costs. It's surprisingly inexpensive, considering the cost of energy today, and if you can walk and chew gum at the same time, it's a sure bet you'll do a fine job. Don't believe me? Read a little more and see how simple it is to start saving money today.

Heating up that water you're using is estimated to be 15% to 25% of your energy bill if you're an average American household. It ranks third on the list of energy gobblers, heating/air conditioning (HVAC) and kitchen appliances rank number one and two respectively.

There are several different types of insulation, but only a few are the ones you need to consider as a homeowner. Of those few the easiest to work with is a tube type - rigid foam insulation that's simple to install. It requires no special tools, just a utility knife or a hacksaw blade. We, as commercial plumbers, insulate thousands of feet of pipe every year. So when I say "you can do it." I know what I'm talking about.

For standard household hot water lines, which are usually no larger than 1", the foam tube you need can readily be purchased at any good plumbing supply house. It comes in varying diameters and wall thickness. Very few local hardware stores, unfortunately, carry all the sizes, so shop where the pro's shop, at a good plumbing supply outlet. The two dimensions you need to be concerned with are, (A) the size of the pipe you are insulating (the outside diameter) and (B) the wall thickness of the foam tube. Thicker walls mean you'll have more insulating protection. The "R" value of the tube may go from 1.5 (thin wall) all the way up to 4.0 (thick wall). The higher "R" values will cost you more money but are well worth it in the long run. As the saying goes, "Don't send a pony to do a plow horses job."

The tubes are usually six feet long with a split lengthwise allowing you to slide it over the pipe with little effort. If you really want to make the job a piece of cake, buy a brand with the adhesive pre-applied to the split length seam. You simply pull the plastic tabs, one at a time, and presto the foam seals up for a nice tight fit. Where two tubes end butt together, you wrap the joint with a piece of 2" black duct tape; the plumbing supply house will have the

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