Should You Insulate a Water Heater Tank?

Written on: October 16, 2023

We help you get the most from your propane water heater.

What kind of water heater do you have in your home? At Koppy’s Propane, we sell, install and service both traditional and tankless water heaters.

Many households in Luzerne County and other parts of our region choose traditional storage-tank water heaters . These systems generally cost less to install than on-demand units. But the operational costs are often higher. Insulating your tank is one way to lower the monthly propane usage associated with your hot water generation.

Why should you insulate your water heater?

A traditional water heater has a tank with hot water that is deployed to appliances and fixtures that need it. When you aren’t using this tank of water, it sits idly and cools. Eventually, your water heater needs to consume more propane to reheat the water.

However, insulating your water heater tank can help your hot water tank stay warm longer and reduce the number of times your burners need to come on to reheat it. This lowers so-called “standby heat losses.” The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) advises that water heater insulation can reduce standby losses by around 25 to 45 percent, saving you roughly 7 to 16 percent on water heating costs!

Be sure to pay attention to the R-value of your water heater when deciding whether to insulate it. R-value tells you how well-insulated a barrier is. Your water heater will list its R-value, ideally 24 or higher.

What kind of water heater insulation is there?

If you’re interested in insulating your traditional water heater, you have a couple of options:

1. A water heater blanket is a simple cover that can be slipped over your unit to insulate heat. They are available in most hardware stores, and you can cut them to match your appliance’s size. Some homeowners also add wood or additional insulation to the bottom of the water heater, but make sure you don’t create a fire hazard or block the controls.
2. There is also insulation wrap, which is a foil-like product you can put around your tank.

The home comfort experts at Koppy’s Propane are always available to discuss your water heater and recommend the best insulation option.

Koppy’s Propane can eliminate your standby losses!

Would you like to say goodbye to standby propane losses altogether? Koppy’s Propane can help.

When you upgrade to a propane tankless water heater , you don’t need to worry about constantly reheating a tank of water. Instead, these on-demand systems heat water only when you need it. These products are up to 34 percent more energy efficient than storage tank systems, according to the DOE.

Tankless water heaters generate virtually unlimited hot water on demand, so you won’t need to worry about a shower going cold when your dishwasher is running. They also occupy much less space than storage tank water heaters and have longer service lives.

If you want to explore all the ways you can improve your hot water generation while spending less on propane, reach out to our team today.