Summary: Learn how to lag pipes, insulate radiators and insulate water cylinders.
There are several simple ways of insulating your home that will save you money on fuel bills. This is achieved by fitting a non-heat conducting cover to pipes, water cylinders and radiators. This practice and the material used to perform it, is called lagging.
Lagging should not only be fitted to cold-water pipes in danger of freezing but also to any hot water pipes that are not producing heat to warm a room. Foam lagging tubes are available for a range of pipe diameters. The foam lagging tubes usually have a cut running along the length to facilitate fitting them onto the pipes. Some foam lagging tubes have a silver foil lining to reflect heat back into the pipe, but these are generally more expensive.
Push the tubing on to the pipes like a sleeve and secure the ends with cable ties or tape.
If you do not have a pre-insulated water cylinder, you should insulate the cylinder with a cylinder jacket. A cylinder jacket comprises of a number of plastic segments containing mineral-fibre insulation.
Arrange the sections around the cylinder so there are no gaps, ensuring that the immersion heater cable is on the outside.
Radiators positioned against an outside wall can lose up to 25% of their heat to the wall behind it. This is a serious waste of energy and money. However, fitting a foil-faced expanded polystyrene lining behind the radiator can save up to half the heat which would otherwise be lost.
Naturally the best time to do this is when you are decorating and have removed the radiators to paint or wallpaper behind them. Waiting to redecorate before carrying out this task is not always convenient. Fortunately, the foil-faced expanded polystyrene lining can be applied without removing the radiator.
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