If there are bare copper hot water pipes visible near your hot water heater, you can save 
energy and money. A Weatherization First team from Grace Lutheran Church took these before and after photos over the weekend. The fix will lower the utility bill for a low-income household AND reduce climate emissions.
Not much of a DIY person? You can handle this without resorting to any colorful language. I promise. Click through to the directions, and you’ll know you can, too.
Supplies:
- hot-water-pipe insulation from the big box store or our friends over at Ace Hardware.
- office scissors
- a step stool
- a partner
- a tape measure (in a pinch a string will do!)
- bonus: extra tape. I like packing tape for this job, but other kinds will do.
How to:
- Measure the exposed pipes to figure out how much insulation to buy.
- Buy the insulation.
- Cut the right length for one straight stretch of pipe.
- Insert pipe into insulation along lengthwise opening.
- Peel off the peel-and-stick cover.
- Squeeze two sides together to stick.
- Wrap tape around anywhere the peel-and-stick feature is straining. (Wrap tape around and stick to itself for this. It will hold better over time.)
- Repeat #3-7.
- Donate the extras to Weatherization first, or take them over to a neighbor and offer to install there. (You’re practically a contractor now!)
Getting fancy? Angle cut the corners, or purchase the pre-made joint pieces. No need to channel Martha Stewart or Bob Vila, but you’ll cover a little more pipe.
A full set of photos appears on the PA IPL Facebook page.