When it comes to lagging, lagging both your hot and your cold-water pipes and the tanks around your home is an important way of saving energy and in time money for your home. Lagging hot water pipes will keep your hot water much hotter, which in turn allows you to run your water heater at a lower temperature. Lagging your cold-water pipes will help to stop them from freezing up and also it lowers the risk of the pipes bursting during the colder weather.
Lagging Pipework
There are two main types of pipe lagging and insulation what you decide to choose does depend very much on when you decide to apply the lagging. As an example, if you are lagging pipes when they are being fitted the best type of lagging to use, is felt like lagging which simply slides over the pipe. This is best for pipes that are being fitted below the floorboards or below cemented flooring. They normally come in a large roll and are much less bulky than your foam lagging.
Lagging For Pipes
If you need to fit lagging to pipes that have already been fitted, then foam lagging which is usually split along it’s length will be the best pipe lagging to use. If they have not been pre-split, then simply use a sharp knife and open the split and then attach over the length of the pipe you wish to lag. Then use some insulation tape to seal up the joints. If you come across a pipe that needs lagging with a right-angle join, then simply cut the two ends of the two pieces of lagging at an angle to create what is known as a mitre joint. Then once again seal the joint with insulation tape. If you then come across a T-joint along your pipework, cut the two pieces of lagging for the arms into mitres and cut a piece for the upright of the T into a point. The three pieces should then simply fit quite nicely together at the T-junction of your piping.
If you are deciding to lag your hot water pipes then take into account the heat that they will radiate will add to the warmth of your rooms they are passing through. The most important lagging in unheated areas of your home is for the cold-water pipes which can normally be found in your garage or in your attic or loft. These are the areas where they are mora than likely to freeze up and potentially burst. If money is an issue concentrate on applying lagging to these pipes first if you can.
Cold Water Tank Insulation
It is highly important to insulate any cold-water tanks as they can normally be found either in attics, lofts or places that are normally not heated and prone to the cold. You can easily purchase already made insulation jackets which are fairly cheap and are extremely easy to fit yourself.
If you’re looking to do a bit of a DIY you can make your own cold water tank insulation by simply placing some roof insulation into large enough black bags and simply wrap them around the cold water tank but do remember to have enough of it available to be able to cover the top of the tank as well. Then all you need to do is to attach your home-made insulation to the tank by wrapping some string around it or by using something similar that will hold it in place.
Hot Water Cylinder Lagging
If your hot water cylinder is not lagged, you can believe it or not waste a lot of energy over a course of a year and lose money that otherwise could have been saved. By fitting an insulation jacket over your hot water cylinder is a great way of saving energy for your home and ultimately saving you money. The jackets are very simple to fit and are not too expensive.
When you choose a water cylinder jacket for your hot water cylinder always makes sure you gp for one measuring at least 75 mm-100 mm thick and that it does have the British Standard Kite mark on it. So before you buy your jacket, measure the height and circumference of your water cylinder and if you have any doubts about what size to get always buy a slightly larger jacket rather than one that could be too small. As we have mentioned, the water cylinder jacket is very easy to fit. All you have to do is simply wrap the jacket around the tank and secure it using the ties supplied or once again just simply attach some strings.
And Why do Pipes Need to Be Insulated?
Lagging, or insulating, your household pipes will ensure that the heat in your hot water it is not lost before it travels to where it is needed in the home. And as we have said before in this article it will save you money in the long term.
Three Main Reasons You Should Be Lagging Your Water Pipes
- They reduce the heat lost from the pipes and minimise energy wasted
- They ensure that the water that is delivered through your hot water pipes arrives where it is needed still piping hot!
- They stop the water in your pipes from expanding in cold weather and potentially bursting your pipes and costing you an absolute fortune to replace!
The Pipes That Need Lagging
- The pipes in the airing cupboard – the hot water pipes running to and from the cylinder.
- The pipes running from the boiler.
- Your central heating pipes – all central heating pipes should be lagged as they go to the radiators. As an example the pipes running under the flooring.
- The hot water pipes under sinks and behind the bath panels.
We here at pipelagging.com have all the lagging you require to insulate the pipes around your home and to keep the warmth in and the money in your pocket!
