Water Heater Blanket Review
By This may sound a little strange but to make your hot water heater more efficient, you should invest in a Hot Water Heating Blanket. With prices rising on everything these days, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to save money on your home heating bills? Then take the first step and look into a hot water heating blanket. They make these blankets for any brand of water heater, Rheem, Bosch, AO Smith and Peerless just to name a few.
These blankets will help on older water heaters mostly. Not everyone can afford a new water heater so purchasing a blanket may save you money in the long run. Most older water heaters may not be insulated properly. These blankets or insulating jackets can actually decrease heat loss by about 25% to 40 %. Plus they can save you money on a yearly basis. Make sure that you read the manual of your water heater; some units recommend that jackets or blankets are used. The idea is to save money on your heating bills but it maybe a good idea that you have a licensed plumber come in and do the installation for you. Buying the blanket will be cheaper if you purchase it on your own but having it installed is still a good idea. You can find these heater blankets in your local hardware stores or retail stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot.
To have an idea of how the installation is supposed to work, you will first cut the tank top insulation in order to fit around the piping located at the top of the tank. Make sure you fold down the corners securely and tape around the top of the water heater. Now, you will begin to wrap the blanket around the water heater. Make sure that the blanket does not meet over the access openings of the water heater.
Next, make sure that the blanket is securely in place. The package that you buy will include belts to secure the blanket, never use any thing else but the belts provided with the blanket. If you have a leaky water heater, it is not a good idea to wrap the heater at this time. If your tank is leaking it is time to get a new water heater. The newer water heaters are better insulated and more efficient than the older ones. Another thing to remember is do not set the water heater thermostat over 130 degrees, the wiring may overheat and it could cause a fire. On certain types of water heaters like electric heaters, it is important to let professionals install these insulating blankets. It may seem easy but you are still working on a hot water electrical or gas appliance.
In addition to installing a blanket, there are some other great ways to lower your electric bills. If you lower the water heater’s temperature by 10 degrees, you can actually save up to 5 % in your utility bills. By changing your showerhead to a low flow showerhead, it will reduce the water flow and save you money on your water bills. Keep showers to a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes and try not to let the water run for a long period of time before getting in. By following all of these hints you can save yourself a lot of money all you have to do is execute your plan.
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