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Pipe insulation

Foam or fiberglass sleeves and wraps fitted around water pipes to cut heat loss from hot water lines and help keep exposed pipes from freezing.

What It Means

Pipe insulation is material wrapped around water pipes: most often split foam sleeves that snap over the pipe, or fiberglass wrap. On hot water lines, the U.S. Department of Energy says it cuts heat loss so water arrives 2°F to 4°F hotter, which lets you turn the water heater down a little. On exposed pipes in cold spaces, the American Red Cross lists pipe sleeves among the products that help keep pipes from freezing.

Try It: Pick Pipe Insulation Near a Water Heater

Pick your water heater and, for gas, how close the pipe runs to the flue. The rules come from DOE's Energy Saver guide.

Use

Polyethylene or neoprene foam sleeves

Start with the first 3 feet of hot water pipe coming off the heater.

How It Sounds at Home

  • "Grab some foam pipe sleeves while you're at the hardware store."
  • "The pipes in the crawl space need wrapping before winter."
  • "Hot water gets to the shower faster since we insulated the pipes."

The Breakdown

How to insulate pipes

  1. Decide what you're protecting. For hot water lines, DOE says to cover every pipe you can reach, starting with the first 3 feet from the water heater. To guard against freezing, the Red Cross points to exposed pipes in unheated areas such as attics, basements and crawl spaces.
  2. Measure the length of each run and note the pipe's size, so the sleeves fit snugly.
  3. Pick the material. DOE says polyethylene or neoprene foam sleeves are the most common choice.
  4. On a gas water heater, keep all insulation at least 6 inches from the flue. Where a pipe runs within 8 inches of the flue, use fiberglass pipe wrap at least 1 inch thick with no facing.
  5. Buhata's own suggestion: slip each sleeve over the pipe, close its seam with the tape or clips it comes with, and butt the ends of neighboring pieces together so no bare pipe shows.
  6. For pipes that freeze often, the Red Cross suggests UL-listed heat tape or heat cable on exposed pipes; install it exactly as its maker's instructions say.

Short version to try today. Measure the first 3 feet of hot water pipe coming off your water heater and buy foam sleeves to fit.

Good to Know

DOE notes a second benefit beyond the 2°F to 4°F: with less heat lost on the way, you wait less for hot water at the tap, which also saves water. If you find a leak or a damaged pipe while you're working, shut off the water first and call a licensed plumber for anything beyond a simple fix. Heat tape runs on electricity, so plug it in only as its maker directs, and don't cover it with anything the instructions don't allow.

FAQ

Which pipes should I insulate first?

For hot water, the U.S. Department of Energy says to start with the first 3 feet of pipe from the water heater. For freeze protection, the American Red Cross points to exposed pipes in attics, basements and crawl spaces.

Does insulating hot water pipes save energy?

DOE says insulated pipes deliver water 2°F to 4°F hotter, so you can set the water heater a bit lower, and you wait less for hot water at the tap.

Can I put foam pipe insulation near a gas water heater?

Keep all insulation at least 6 inches from the flue, according to DOE. Where a pipe runs within 8 inches of the flue, use unfaced fiberglass pipe wrap at least 1 inch thick instead of foam.

Do It in Buhata

Maintenance (Household X) and Shopping

Add the foam sleeves to your Shopping list, and put "Check pipe insulation in the crawl space" in Maintenance in the Household X add-on each fall.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Frozen pipes

    Water pipes in which the water has turned to ice, blocking the flow and building pressure that can split the pipe and flood the house once it thaws.

  • Hose bib

    An outdoor faucet on the outside wall of a house, threaded so a garden hose can screw onto it. Also called a spigot or outdoor faucet.

  • Insulation R-value

    A number that rates how well insulation resists heat flowing through it. The higher the R-value, the better it insulates.

  • Water heater flush

    Draining a water heater and running water through it to wash out the sediment and minerals that settle inside, usually about once a year.

  • Tankless water heater

    A water heater with no storage tank that heats water as it flows through, only when a hot tap is on. Also called a demand-type or instantaneous water heater.

  • Winterizing sprinklers

    Draining and blowing the water out of an in-ground sprinkler system before freezing weather, so ice can't crack its pipes, valves and heads.

Home maintenance and repairs

Sources

U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver, "Do-It-Yourself Savings Project: Insulate Hot Water Pipes"; American Red Cross, "Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes"

Last updated .