Heating water can cost a significant amount of money and is one of the biggest expenses in commercial and residential buildings. Knowing the different methods to insulate your water pipes can greatly reduce this cost, lowering heating bills across the board. This also leads to water that remains warm for longer inside the pipe system and can even prevent pipes from bursting in colder conditions.
Seal Up Your Crawl Space
The crawl space—whether it’s in a home or a business—contains important pipes to transport water, but these areas are often unfinished and exposed to some of the elements. This isn’t an ideal environment for pipes, which can be extremely sensitive to too much stimulus. This delicacy means you must properly seal your crawl space, insulating the entire area to prevent any cold from entering and any heat from escaping.
Insulate the Pipes Themselves
Not all pipes reside in the crawl space, making it necessary to insulate the pipes individually as needed. Find where the coldest areas are, the places where you suspect there is much heat loss, and cover your pipes accordingly. Know what thermalate is and how best to use it when you begin the insulation process for your water pipes, as it is an effective way of preventing heat loss.
Insulate Pipe Gaps
During this process, don’t neglect to insulate the pipe gaps. These areas regularly go unaddressed and are a source of problems when trying to keep water warm. Sealing the gaps with caulk and expanding foam are simple ways to eliminate the threat of losing heat. This method of insulating your pipes also serves as a protective barrier to protect them from the cold of winter, reducing the risk of bursting.
Protect Your Pipes
It’s easy to allow pipes to go without protection from exposed air, but it is necessary to seal them. It will save you the expense of heating bills while also mitigating the risks of burst or damaged pipes as a direct result of the cold. Know how to insulate your pipes, what materials to use, and maintain the insulation you install.
