If you own or manage a property in New York City, protecting your pipes is key to ensuring they function properly and last for decades. If you&#;ve ever wondered what type of pipe insulation is best, read on. Our experts at Calray Boilers explain the different choices and where to apply various kinds of insulation for the best results. With the right pipe insulation, you can minimize heat loss and save money.
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If your first inclination is that pipes should be insulated to prevent freezing, you&#;re not wrong. This is one of the main reasons we recommend insulation. Freezing pipes are subject to leaking and bursting, which can cause extensive water damage and disruption to the building&#;s tenants&#;at a great cost to you.
However, there are additional reasons why pipe insulation should be explored. Insulating the pipes providing hot water or steam for radiators minimizes heat loss. This saves you money on energy expenses and may actually let you set your boiler to fire less frequently. Tenants are happier too when they don&#;t have to wait for hot water to take a shower or wash their dishes, and there&#;s less wasted water with faster hot water.
There are environmental situations where pipes can &#;sweat.&#; This is really condensation that forms when a pipe&#;s surface is cooler than the surrounding air, such as with cold water lines passing through a warm, humid part of the building. It&#;s similar to a cold drink sitting on your table on a hot summer day. The moisture that forms can eventually corrode the pipe, reducing its lifespan and causing hazardous leaks.
Some pipes may need to be insulated to protect people who are working around them. Touching an extremely hot pipe can result in burns and, potentially, workers&#; compensation claims.
We typically see pipes in need of insulation in four general areas:
Together with our partners at Sanitary Plumbing, we advise property owners and managers on ways to insulate these areas, so all types of pipes in your building are protected and you capitalize on energy savings. Our focus at Calray Boilers is on piping in the boiler room and lines providing heat and hot water.
This is the type of insulation you are probably most familiar with, as it is widely used by single-family homeowners for DIY applications. It resembles a swimming pool noodle, with a slit that runs the length of each piece, which makes it a breeze to slip around pipes.
The light foam material is also easy to cut to unique measurements. Foam insulation can be purchased with or without self-sealing elements; without self-sealing, it must be taped to provide proper containment of the pipe. This kind of insulation works well to prevent freezing and condensation. It&#;s ideal for pipes found under cabinets, but we generally recommend more heavy-duty insulation for other applications.
This insulation works for both energy loss and condensation. It offers multiple benefits:
Also offering a wide range of applications, mineral fiber insulation is usually foil-coated. It can handle temperatures up to 700 degrees Celsius (1,292 degrees Fahrenheit), making it ideal for use around commercial and industrial boilers. It can be used outdoors, provided a protective sheet covering is also utilized.
There are versions of rigid fiberglass insulation that are similar to mineral fiber products. Like foam tubing, these are often used by single-family homeowners and small property owners attempting DIY pipe insulation. However, mineral fiber is more eco-friendly and provides superior insulation, making it our choice for apartment buildings, businesses, and large rental properties.
This insulation is usually applied outside over high-temperature pipes, up to 150 degrees Celsius (302 degrees Fahrenheit). It has built-in UV protection, so it is often used with solar heating. It comes in a range of formats for ease of use.
While this type of insulation seals pipes well, it&#;s more costly due to the application process, which must be done by a professional. It&#;s used for large-scale heating and air conditioning applications. It&#;s often used in industrial settings. It comes in foil-lined tubes in a variety of pipe diameters, as well as in sheets and slabs. It can accommodate temperatures as high as 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit) and as low as -50 degrees Celsius (-58 degrees Fahrenheit).
Within these broad types of insulation, there are subcategories, and new insulation materials are coming to market every year with advanced features like mold resistance. That&#;s why it&#;s essential to consult with plumbing and boiler professionals, like Calray Boilers, so you can select the best material for your application and budget, and so the installation is performed properly.
If you worry about losing heat through your radiator and hot water system, we can help. We&#;ll do an evaluation of your property to see where heat is being lost or where your pipes need protection from other hazards like condensation. We can help you select the ideal insulation for every scenario, enabling you to save money and enjoy greater peace of mind.
For more information, please visit Langfang Clear Chemical.
Call Calray Boilers today at 212-722-, or use our easy online form to set up a service call at your convenience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best insulation for pipes?
It&#;s subjective but any good quality lagging will save energy compared to a bare pipe and the thicker the insulation you use the better although the biggest difference will be to put something on in the first place. If a product has a thermal conductivity of 0.035/w.mK or better (lower) you know it is good quality.
Is it worth insulating hot water or central heating pipes?
Yes, absolutely. If your hot water pipes are not insulated then heat will be escaping from the surface and you are wasting energy, which is wasting money. Even as little as 9mm will dramatically reduce heat loss and likely pay for itself in a matter of months. It&#;s easy to do it yourself as well!
Will insulating pipes keep them from freezing?
Yes, providing that you use the correct thickness of insulation. Generally speaking the smaller your pipe is the higher the risk of it freezing as a smaller volume of water takes less time to freeze. Therefore, the smaller the pipe the thicker the insulation you require in order to minimize the risk of frost burst.
Water Bylaw 49 Frost Protection
Assuming "Extreme" Conditions of up to 12 hours down to -6°C without use
Outside Diameter of Pipe Thickness of Insulation
15 - 25
22 - 19
28 - 19
34 - 13
42 - 9
54 - 9
76 - 9
What is the best insulation for winter / cold weather?
As you know what thickness you need it is worth thinking about the best product &#; Climaflex or Tubolit are great options. These are polyethylene pipe insulations and as such cheap and easy to install &#; they are either fully split or semi split so easy to install. They are best fixed with tape or glue, NEVER cable ties.
Should copper pipes be insulated?
Yes, you want cold pipes to stay cold and hot pipes to stay hot - by insulating you are limiting heat transfer between the pipe itself and the ambient environment. A cold pipe in a warm room it will gain heat but if you insulate it then this will greatly reduce the rate of transfer.
Should plumbers insulate pipes?
Plumbers do generally insulate pipework as it is good practice but it is not necessarily compulsory. Whether a plumber or anybody else is required to insulate a pipe is dependent on there being a specification - for example some boiler manufacturers may require the condensate overflow pipe to be properly lagged to prevent freezing in winter.
For more information, please visit Phenolic Pipe Insulation.