Sometimes all it takes to make a difference to a utility bill is something relatively cheap and easy, like putting a brick in the toilet cistern to reduce the amount of water in a flush or not leaving the TV on standby. Insulating your pipes may be one of those less exciting jobs you’ve been meaning to get to. But there are plenty of reasons to move it up your priority list and here’s the incentive, one or two could save you money.
No one can argue that pipe insulation isn’t important, especially if you're concerned about wasting heat or maintaining an ideal water temperature. All homes and almost all buildings rely on pipes to transfer water from one place to another which is exactly where using insulation can help save energy and therefore, money. Here are some basic reasons you might not have thought about why adding pipe insulation makes good sense.
It Prevents Water from Freezing
When pipes are outside a building, there is the risk of water freezing in them during winter. This blocks the pipes and can even result in it bursting as the ice block expands. Wrapping the pipe in insulation prevents heat loss so the water stays liquid even in the harshest conditions. Investing in insulation will save on replacing or repairing the pipes. You can save even more if you buy pipe insulation online – you can go to Easymerchant.co.uk to make a purchase.
It Helps Limit Heat Loss
Another obvious benefit of insulation is to prevent or at least limit, heat lost. Insulations means water stays hotter for longer thereby saving energy costs. It helps cut your bills. At the same time, not having to reheat the water helps to cut CO2 emissions. Investing in insulation will help you and your family lower your carbon footprint.
It Helps Improve Safety
Obviously, heated pipes get very hot and are more than capable of leaving a nasty burn if you or your children come into contact with them. In some heating systems the water gets scalding hot. Insulation does not conduct heat, it traps it so by lining pipes thoroughly you will be preventing any accidents.
Now that you know there are sound reasons to opt for insulation, you may be thinking about what kinds are available on the market. For starters, you can use foam lining to insulate hot pipes and some people believe traditional fiberglass makes the most effective thermal insulation. In both, it’s the depth of material that determines the level of heat resistance. If you're going with foam, you have several options. The foam may be rigid phenolic, polyethylene, polyisocyanurate or polyurethane. Any is better than none so just be sure to pick up an insulation material that is not going to produce a toxic by-product when exposed to heat.
Lagging and insulating pipes isn’t glamorous but it is easy. The only difficulty lies with where some of the pipes are. Piping has a tendency to end up hidden in the most awkward and out of the way places around a home. If it’s not that easy to get down under sink or up into your loft space, your local plumber or an insulation specialist will be able to help. It’s worth the expense of getting you pipework insulated by a professional and it won’t be too long before you realize the savings. They will start to show on your next bill. Luckily, insulation is one of the few things that quickly pays for itself.
