Home Water Pipes & Insulation

Hot-water pipes in home's unconditioned spaces can freeze and be a source of heat loss, while cold water pipes can get condensation dripping. To avoid it, protect your house pipes with insulation. 

Insulation should be used on all accessible pipes and especially within 3 feet/1 meter of the water heater (in the case of hot-water pipes) or on the first 3 feet/1 meter of the cold water inlet pipes.

See also: Home ducts sealing and insulation


Savings

Insulation of pipes prevent dripping condensation, heat losses and savings on energy bills (you can raise water temperature 2ºF–4ºF/1-2ºC through insulation).

Safety Warnings

You should use safety goggles and gloves when working with fiberglass insulation and other specific materials for pipe insulation. Take into account the product manufacturer’s warnings.

On pipes connected to gas water heaters, insulation should be kept 6 inches (16 cm) or more from the flue.

Before installation

Before installing the insulation, remove any dirt or grease from the pipes and allow the pipes to dry.

Electric insulation tape

Using an electric heating tape wrap on the pipes can prevent pipes from freezing.  Just wrap the tape around the pipes and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Wraps and insulating tapes

The market offers various insulation wraps and tapes. They are inexpensive and may be applied by you. Just tape the product around the pipes and joints and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

When buying, look for top tapes, as those qualified by the Underwriters Laboratories (logo on left).
 

Foam rubber insulation

Foam rubber insulation is a common pipe insulation solution. Just put it over the pipes and wrap the ends, which should be secured with duct tape. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Fiberglass insulation

If you choose fiberglass insulation, you should wrap the fiberglass in plastic to prevent condensation.

If pipes are very close to the flue, fiberglass pipe-wrap with a 1-inch/1,5 cm thick or more is a good option. In this case, use wire or aluminum foil tape to secure the fiberglass to the pipe.


Pipe sleeves insulation

Pipe sleeves - made with polyethylene or neoprene foam and presented in a wide variety of sizes – is a common option on pipe insulation and an easy one to install. You should match the pipe sleeve's with the pipe's outside diameter to get a snug fit. To secure the insulation to the pipe, you should wire, tape, or clamp it with a cable. If more than one sleeve is needed, duct tape the seam where the pipes meet.

Insulating around corners and T-joints

To apply insulation around corners or T-joints, make miter angles and use duct tape to secure the parts.