While you might think of us as your go-to team for everything that has to do with water heater repair or installation, but you might not know that we can also provide your water heater with powerful insulation materials that will keep it from losing energy over time.
There’s a misconception going around that homeowners should be in charge of insulating their water heaters, and that professionals just don’t provide this level of service. In fact, it’s the opposite! We’re of the opinion that a homeowner should never be the one to try and insulate their water heater. Based on the materials you decide to use and the insulation levels you’re looking to have, you might end up doing more harm than good. This requires the precision and training of a certified plumbing professional. We’ll explain further in the blog post below.
A Few Things to Learn About Insulation
Let’s start by learning a bit about what insulation is and why a water heater requires it. When your conventional tank water heater produces hot water, it needs to keep the heat in the water so it doesn’t disperse it to the air around the system.
Similarly to when you boil a pot of water, if you leave that pot of water alone for long enough, it will turn room temperature and that heat will have dispersed into the environment.
Insulation is a barrier between the heated material and the room-temperature air or other material. The thicker and more intense the insulation is, the less heat you’ll be using and the less energy waste you’ll be dealing with down the line.
So, now let’s discuss why installing insulation yourself is a bad idea.
Insulation Requires the Right Environment
Most insulation materials need to be dry in order to function properly. Also, most water heaters sit in basements or crawlspaces where our plumbing systems lie and rainwater can accumulate when things flood. The problem here is that these environments can become damp or humid in certain conditions, and that can ruin your water heater’s insulation.
Our team can help choose the right type of insulation that would fit in your space. We can also discuss with you a replacement water heater or some kind of other water heating system if insulation just isn’t a good idea for your property.
Poor Insulation Is a Waste of Money
Setting up insulation poorly is like putting on a warm jacket backwards. It’s cold, and uncomfortable, and almost a waste of the good materials you spent so much money on.
Poorly installed water heater insulation can split open and fall apart, causing the heat that it’s trying to contain to escape. This is why it’s so important to get this done by professionals, so you’re not making expensive mistakes.
Water Heater Installation Includes Insulation
Did you know that tank water heaters are built with insulation already? Many models have a glass tank but a metal exterior shell that is designed specifically to insulate the tank and keep hot water inside.
Do yourself a favor and call our team to discover whether your home even needs water heater insulation before you take steps on your own to remedy a problem that might not be that bad.
Ken Neyer Plumbing, Inc. has your back. Call us for your water heater needs.