Do Pool Noodles Actually Work As Pipe Insulators?

If you've ever gone swimming as a child or you have a kid who loves to be in the water, then you know how important it is to have pool noodles. Pool noodles are made of polyethylene foam and are cylindrical in shape. Because of their physical makeup, they provide buoyancy which protects you in case you aren't that proficient a swimmer.

However, the size and shape also contribute to the pool noodle's versatility, and people are waking up to new ingenious hacks for pool noodle utilization around the house. Some people go beyond just flapping them around during swimming practice and instead use them as pipe insulators.

Pipe insulators work by sheathing pipes that are predominantly used to chauffeur tempered water in the house and prevent heat from escaping them. Pool noodles look a lot like pipe insulators, which begs the question of whether or not they could be substituted for them in case of an emergency. Luckily, the answer is yes — you can use them to insulate pipes in your home.

Pipes are invaluable to the household. Without them, there would be no running water, which means you wouldn't be able to brush your teeth or take soul-searching long showers when you feel sad. Insulation foam makes sure the heat is regulated, helps you save energy, and prevents pipe damage due to boiling and freezing temperatures.

You can alternatively use pool noodles to insulate your pipes in just a few easy steps. First, make sure you get the right type of pool noodle. According to Foam Noodles, clamp noodles are great because they have an opening where you can just clamp the noodle around the pipe. Then, use some strong duct tape to secure it in place.

If you don't have any clamp pool noodles, you can use a regular pool noodle and create the clamp yourself just like YouTube creator @vanplaas did for his water pipe. Using a pocket knife, measure out the length you need for the pipe and cut out a matching length for the pool noodle. Then, slice down one side of the noodle vertically to create a clamp for the pipe. "Just take it and cut one side open," he said, demonstrating how it fits nicely on the pipe. "Like a glove."