Toilet Insulation

LESLIE: Now we’re heading over to Alaska to chat with Benjie about freezing toilets. I imagine it’s always freezing in Alaska.

TOM: This probably is a story that can only happen in Alaska. Benjie, how can we help you?

BENJIE: Well, we’re having a heat wave, currently; I think it’s about 70 degrees outside. But the water …

TOM: (chuckling) OK.

LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Whoa, it’s hot.

BENJIE: (chuckles) The water that is coming in, even in the summertime, is frigid cold and the problem is the condensation on the outside of the reservoir tank of the toilet.

TOM: OK.

BENJIE: It’s quite a problem. It’s dripping onto the floor then through the linoleum and through the baseboards. It’s wood and it’s starting to rot and to mold.

TOM: OK.

BENJIE: The only thing that I thought of as a solution is an aquarium tank-like heater for a fish in aquariums but that’s [the case of] (ph) …

TOM: Yeah, that would be pretty expensive. I have a better solution for you.

BENJIE: Yeah.

TOM: You can take Styrofoam and line the inside of the toilet tank.

BENJIE: OK.

TOM: You’re essentially insulating the toilet tank so that the toilet tank doesn’t get quite as cold and then the warm, moist air that strikes it is not going to condense and drip all over the place.

BENJIE: OK, one more question.

LESLIE: (overlapping voices) Would you use like …?

BENJIE: Excuse me?

LESLIE: I was going to say would you use like the pink insulating foam or that blue foam that you find at the home center or could you use crafty Styrofoam?

TOM: Yeah, I would actually – you’d probably even use something thinner than that because I don’t think you’re going to be able to put an inch in there but you could probably find like a half-inch sheet Styrofoam, cut it to fit nice and tight and do that.

BENJIE: OK.

TOM: I think that will make a difference. I’ve actually seen that done a number of times.

LESLIE: So it’s like a toilet tank cooler.

TOM: Yeah, kind of – that’s right. (Leslie chuckles) Kind of like a toilet tank liner.

BENJIE: Well, maybe I could save some water by throwing a couple of – some energy by throwing a couple of beers in there and keeping them cold, too. (Tom and Leslie laugh)

TOM: Maybe.

LESLIE: Hey, they’d always be handy where you want it.

TOM: And chilly.

BENJIE: Well, yes. Well, thank you very much.

TOM: You’re very welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.