New water heater, need a blanket?

[Zz Yzx]

I just bought and installed a new Whirlpool Energy Smart water heater. It's been running for a couple weeks now, and I notice that it feels cool to the touch, while the 20-yr-old water heater felt warm (both inside and outside the insulating blanket).

Do today's new "Energy Smart" water heaters need a blanket?

Thanks a heap,

-Zz

[Don Fearn]

I think it was Zz Yzx who stated:

Need? No. Can they help? CERTAINLY!

We just got a new water heater, and it's more efficient than the

15-plus-year-old one it replaced, and the blanket is on. More insulation is better than less . . . .

[# Fred #]

I bought one too a month ago and asked the guy in the plumbing department if a blanket is required. He said no. Makes sense if the heater feels cold to the touch so you not loosing heat (except on the top of the unit) so what would a blanket buy you?

[Tom The Great]

Many manufactures tell you whether or not a water heater blanket is necessary. Check the manual, or contact the manufactuer.

tom @

[kellyj00]

Actually, if it feels Warm to the touch it would be losing heat. If something is insulated very well it will feel the same as it's environment when you touch it.

If it's 70 in your house, your water heater should feel cool to the touch... mine does.

[hallerb]

New hearters have excellent insulation and will feel like room temp.

A heater blanket properly installed cant hurt, but the energy saved may nver cover the cost of the blanket purchase:(

Plus the heat lost helps heat your home, in a small way, so only in non heat times of year would the blanket really save anything assuming your tank is in a otherwise heated space.

[Don Fearn]

I think it was " [e-mail]" who stated:

Agreed. That's why I went ahead and put the blanket on my new water heater -- the one from the old, less well insulated one.

[Tom The Great]

imho:

My own questions about the newer water heaters and a blanket were answered like this.

Tripple paned windows save more energy than double paned windows. However, the energy savings over their life, doesn't exceed the cost of triple paned windows. So keep your money, and spend it elsewhere.

Now that wasn't a yes or no, but made me rely on the manufacturer's instructions for help. Also a quick G-search for "water heater blanket debate" can yield some results.

later,

tom @

[hallerb]

Theoiritically it could be a thermos bottle, but few would pay thousands too save hundreds of dollars of gas during the life of the tank..........