Water heater in uninsulated attic in Chicago

[Svend W.]

Hi everybody

I recently acquired an old house which has the furnace and water heater in an uninsulated attic.

I intend to eventually finish the attic as an ADU--during which time time I'll move the insulation from the attic floor to the rafters--but for now it's uninsulated and gets really cold.

What would you do to protect the water heater (which I just replaced)? Is an insulation blanket enough for Chicago winter?

Thanks.