Insulating Water Pipes
Difficulty: Beginner
Cost: <$20
Time: 1 hour
Materials: Foil pipe insulation, aluminum tape, utility knife OR foam tube insulation, duct
tape, utility knife
Safety Equipment: Gloves
Safety Precautions: Water pipes can carry extremely hot water. Exercise caution when
working around these pipes. If you are not sure whether a pipe is carrying hot water,
hold your hand near the pipe to feel for heat radiating off it or wear gloves.
1. Locate your water pipes. These are usually located in the crawlspace or basement,
leaving your water heater.
2. If you are using a foil wrap insulation, start at one end of your water pipe and wrap
the foil around the pipe so that there is a ½ inch overlap. Using aluminum tape
secure both ends of the foil wrap.
3. If you are using foam tube insulation, measure your pipes and cut your foam tubing
to the corresponding length. Most foam tubing can be bought with a split that runs
lengthwise. This allows the tubing to be easily slipped over the pipe.
4. After applying the foam tube wrap duct tape around the tube every 12 inches. Wrap
duct tape around sections where foam tubing comes together.
Additional Info
• Insulating your water pipes can be done for a variety of reasons such as preventing
condensation and freezing, saving energy, and safety.
• Pipes carrying water below the ambient temperature have the potential to form
condensation which contributes to many types of corrosion. If condensation is an
issue choose pipe insulation that is a water-vapor barrier.
• It is important to know that insulating water pipes cannot prevent water from freezing,
but it is still important to insulate because it lengthens the time before freezing occurs.
Smaller bore pipes are at a greater risk of freezing that larger pipes.
• Pipes carrying water above or below the ambient temperature will create heat flow
between the water and outside environment resulting in energy loss. By insulating
these pipes the heat flow is hindered and energy loss is reduced.