Water Heater Blanket

[house92]

Do water heater blankets make a difference? I never gave it much thought and never used one.

 

[slownsteady]

Modern water heaters are pretty well insulated. I don't think there is much to gain.

 

[bud16415]

Put your hand on the outside and see how warm it is. That’s the only wasted heat you could block escaping with a blanket. Mine feels cold to the touch.

 

[oldognewtrick]

I'd be more concerned about insulating the pipes going out of the tank than insulating the tank.

 

[billshack]

If you live in a southern place it is a good idea, however if you live in a northern climate where you heat the house 7-8 months a year any heat loss from the tank to the house would just add to you home heating. in other words the heat is not lost.

 

[slownsteady]

Not lost, but often wasted in a non-living space

 

[Brian Famous]

Not really, and neither does insulating the pipes. If you're concerned about heat loss due to your tank, go tankless instead...

 

[Michael Armstrong]

If you live in a southern place it is a good idea, however if you live in a northern climate where you heat the house 7-8 months a year any heat loss from the tank to the house would just add to you home heating. in other words the heat is not lost.

But the heat came from electrical resistance heating (unless you've got a hybrid water heater or gas), which may be more expensive than that used to heat the home. We're probably talking pennies, though.