So everyone these days are trying to save money any way that they can, and even better yet many of those people will look to cut down on their energy costs to do so. One way that we can do this is to minimize the amount of energy that we use with our hot water heaters. Sure there are many other ways that we can cut back, but this blog is mainly focused on water heaters, and if you are here you more than likely want some information on water heater blankets.
What is a water heater blanket?
A water heater blanket is basically a blanket of insulation, and you want to try to aim for one that is in the R-10 and up area. The R is a insulation rating, and the higher you go the more insulated the blanket is. See storage tank water heaters let off some heat when they are just sitting there, and they really let off heat when they are in use, especially the older ones. When you call for hot water, say by turning the shower on, the washer or what not, the hot water escapes and then in comes the hold water. When the heat escapes it will make it harder to heat up the cooler water. The insulation blanket is just that, insulation, the same principle of keeping the heat in the oven and removing the heat from a fridge.
How much can a water heater blanket save me?
That really all depends on what type of water heater you have. But most specialist estimate that by installing a water heater blanket you can save anywhere from 10%-40% of the hot water bill. Water heater blankets cost anywhere from 10 to 50 dollars, depending on the size of your tank of course, and also how insulated the blanket is..(the “R” rating.)
Now if you have bought a newer style water heater, especially one with an Energy Star rating, you may not even have the need to purchase an insulation blanket. You can find out if your water heater needs one or not by referring to the owners manual, as some will actually recommend that you do not get one as the tank is already heavily insulated on the inside. Now on the other hand if you own a water heater that is more than ten years old there is a good chance that a water heater blanket will save you energy…
If you do not have the owners manual in handy, there is one way to test if a water heater blanket will save you money or not, and that is by putting your hand on the water heater tank, if it is warm, it could be a coin toss, if it is hot then yes, if it isn’t hot at all, then you really do not need to get one.
How do I install a water heater blanket?
What more can I say then refer to the instructions that come with the blanket. I say this because there are some cases, such as on gas powered water heaters where you have to make sure not to cover the furnace where the flame ignites, as fire needs air to stay aflame, and if you cover that with the water heater blanket you are not going to be getting any hot water. But generally all you need to install a water heater blanket is a blade, preferably a razor knife, measuring tape, and some common sense.
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