What are the benefits of pipe insulation?
For starters, it can save significant amounts of money on utility bills. It reduces dampness, condensation and mildew in the winter. Pipes are more likely to burst due to fluctuating temperatures in pipes that aren't insulated.
Insulation improves the efficiency of heating and plumbing systems in buildings by reducing heat loss through walls, attic spaces, floor slabs and basement ceilings where hot water stocks circulate during the heating season. Measuring insulation's effectiveness is expressed by its R-value or resistance to heat flow where one inch of insulation with an R-value 2 million is comparable to 100% savings per 1000 BTU/hr hours at a differential temperature rise of 10°F. So when considering your home's energy-efficiency, opting for pipe insulation is a smart choice.
In most circumstances, pipe insulation can be installed from the exterior of a structure so this means pipe insulation won't affect the interior home decoration. Some pipe insulation may require a professional installer to guarantee it's done correctly, but for most applications they can usually be installed by yourself. They're also very easy to cut and install using just a pair of scissors or tin shears .
Call Now - (650) 460-1311
Get Your Free Quote!
How does pipe insulation work?
There are many types of pipe insulation. The most common is fiberglass, which is a type of fireproof material that can be cut to size and wrapped around pipes.
Generally, the heat travels through the walls and into the air and outer layers of insulation first then it finally reaches the center where it's dispersed or dissipitated away from the source so as not to damage anything inside.
The goal for any installation would be to use as much insulation as possible with as limited exposure as possible because exposure = wear. So either you want to protect everything on one side or create an isolated environment if you have multiple areas without pipes running along them. However, pipe insulation has a lot of limitations and it's not a one size fit all solution. For example, pipe insulation can't be used in a situation where the pipe runs through an area where cold air from outside enters because the pipe will eventually freeze. Also pipe insulation is meant to reduce heat loss but it can't stop everything especially if there's constant exposure during the winter time against solid objects such as walls or other equipment. In this case you need pipe wraps which are covered later on.
That being said, pipe insulation does work better than nothing at all since there are instances where you don't have much choice and it'll do the job well enough until a more proper installation becomes possible.
Call Us Now - (650) 460-1311