[Greenbuilding] Water heater blankets?!

[Bob Klahn]

Reuben,
Check for listings under "weatherization supplies"; it was still a 
standard item in the Weatherization arsenal when I was still involved.
I just checked a source in Indiana (www.jrproductsinc.com) which I've 
used.  They still list three versions (thicknesses/R-values).

As to why jacket kits aren't readily available, it may have been 
historic push-back from the manufacturer's warranty departments, which 
has been carried forward as a liability to be avoided.

'm not sure about current policy but, about twenty years ago, I heard 
complaints from crews that they had been told that jacketting a new 
water heater would void the warranty.

I know of cases where element controls failed from overheating on 
electric tanks, purportedly  because the insulation jacket covered the 
element access ports.

Mind, this was long ago and second-hand at best.  I would like to think 
the design issue has been corrected - but then I'd also hope that tank 
heaters were being factory insulated well enough to moot the issue.  ( I 
also believe in Santa Claus...)
Bob Klahn
  12/3/2014 2:09 PM, Reuben Deumling wrote:
> ...having called every plumbing supply place I know of I keep striking 
> out. I get every conceivable answer as to why they don't stock/can't 
> sell me a water heater blanket. What is up with this?
>
> My reason for wanting one is that if you spec a 120V 20 gal electric 
> tank they only come with 1" of insulation, and even if they had 
> employed NASA's super duper high-R-value foam which I am quite certain 
> they did not, since bumping down from the 2" of foam they spec on the 
> equivalent 240V models is surely a cost saving measure pure and 
> simply, I would very much like to improve the heat retention 
> capabilities of this little fellow.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Does anyone sell fiberglass batts encased in a sleeve that could be 
> made to suit this purpose? The water heater is only 25" tall and 60" 
> in circumference.
>
> Thanks very much.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Greenbuilding mailing list
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
>
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20141203/bd1cc79f/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Home-NRG.vcf
Type: text/x-vcard
Size: 217 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20141203/bd1cc79f/attachment.vcf>