Anyone who lives in a cold climate knows the benefits of insulation in attics and walls. What many people might not know about is that pipe and blanket insulation is a beneficial addition to protect and improve piping and valve systems.
Adding a layer of insulation to piping and valve assemblies prevents the detrimental problems that can occur if water freezes within the pipes. The insulation keeps the water from turning to ice, expanding, and bursting the pipe, itself, which leads to costly damage. Although this is the most common reason for using pipe and blanket insulation, there are plenty of reasons to use these products on pipe and valve systems.
Condensation ControlP
Condensation on the pipe surface can lead to corrosion or rust, a very damaging problem. In humid and wet environments, pipe insulation can act as a barrier preventing the condensation from forming on the piping and reacting with the metal.
Energy Savings
When the temperature differential between the pipe (and the pipe’s contents) and the ambient air is significant, the heat loss and gain from the piping can be considerable. In cold spaces, hot water in the piping system will lose heat and in hot air, cold water in the pipe heats up. Adding a layer of insulation will minimize the heat loss, gain cycle and prevent wasting energy to make up for lost or gained energy.
Safety
In industrial applications piping can be operating at extremely low or high temperatures. There is potential danger in touching the piping if it is too hot or too cold. Insulation protects workers against burns from inadvertently coming in contact with the piping. Insulation brings a piping and valve system into a safe range for workers.
Noise Control
Noise has a sneaky way of traveling through pipework. In commercial buildings, apartment complexes, and industrial settings, insulating the piping and valves is a valid method to reduce noise. It acts as an acoustic decoupler by preventing noise transfer when pipes pass through a fixed structure such as a floor or wall and lowers the noise of the materials moving through the systems.
Thermal and Acoustic Blanket Insulation from Caylor is the ideal product to keep piping and valves at their optimal levels of performance while preventing devastating pipe bursts. With an average reduction of 93% of thermal loss over bare meatal and average sound reduction of 6 dBa, the addition of insulation is the ideal solution to extreme temperatures.
For additional information on maintaining a piping system in extreme temperatures, please contact us or visit our website.