Texas homeowner turns to a simple fix for ongoing hot water troubles

One commenter joked that they had the "opposite problem," with "zero cold water."

A Texas resident started a spirited Reddit conversation after wondering whether insulating the hot and cold water pipes in their attic with foam would improve energy efficiency and the feel of the water.

Here's what to know

The exchange began when a homeowner posted a question to the r/HomeImprovement community.

"Would insulating the hot and cold PEX lines that feed my bathroom with foam make sense?" they asked.

The homeowner said guests and college-age children were using the other bathrooms, leaving the shower farthest from the water heater as the one used every day. Because the home's pipes ran through an uninsulated attic, and cooler weather was arriving, they wanted to know whether pipe insulation would make a noticeable difference in water temperature.

Most replies said the insulation was worth the effort, especially since foam pipe wrap is usually inexpensive.

One commenter said a hard Texas freeze had caused nearby neighbors' pipes to burst, a far more serious issue than weak shower water and one that insulation can help reduce. Another noted that pipes in unconditioned spaces are good candidates for insulation.

"Yes, it's a good idea even in warmer locations to insulate piping through unconditioned spaces," they said. "Freezing, condensation, and general wear on piping can be limited with insulation."

Another user said their wife likes to add hot water twice during long baths. Before they insulated the pipes running along the basement ceiling, they had to let the cooled water run out before refilling the tub.

After the pipes were insulated, they no longer needed to flush the line before topping off the bath because the water stayed warm enough to use.

More background

Another Texas resident said they face the reverse issue: "zero cold water" for six months of the warmer part of the year. They described how difficult it is to keep water cool during that stretch.

"For six months out of the year, we have zero cold water," they wrote. "Yes, you read that right, absolutely no cold water. It's not even cold-ish. It's lukewarm. This makes laundry and showering unpleasant."

In a previous home, the original poster said they sometimes had to run the tap until water from underground pipes near the meter reached the shower. The alternative was to bathe earlier in the day. They added that proper attic ventilation has kept their current home from having the same cold-water problem.

What can be done?

People in the discussion shared examples of insulating accessible pipes in crawl spaces, basements, and attics.

"Always interesting to hear about building practices in other climates," one user wrote. "Could not get away with pipes in unconditioned spaces where I live, even if you insulated them."

One commenter said winter performance improved noticeably after they insulated the pipes in their crawl space.

"On below freezing nights, the hot water went from luke hot to normal hot," they said.

Another suggestion involved a recirculating pump, which interested the original poster. They said they were open to the idea, though others advised using a timer and warned that some hot water could end up in the cold lines.

Where can I learn more?

Hot attics, damaged pipes, and missing insulation can create problems beyond lukewarm tap water.

• A Texas homeowner's attic reached more than 150 degrees, leading commenters to recommend better ventilation.

• A homeowner discovered a burst pipe that was crumbling inside, and professionals questioned the tubing choice.

• After two summers of leaks, a homeowner opened the ceiling and found no duct insulation.