A Study of Insulating a Mechanical System
Back to school time is always filled with preparation, anticipation, and fast-moving schedules. This busy period before students return to the classroom can mean tight deadlines, especially for contractors and engineers responsible for building new elementary and middle schools in the northern Ohio city of Tallmadge. Insulating contractor, Cascade Insulation Company has a great responsibility as this middle school facility had a hard opening deadline of August 26th. Cascade Insulation Company was up to the task.
"This project held special significance for me. I have been a part of the Tallmadge community for nearly 30 years. It is a great place to raise a family, and our children attend/attended Tallmadge City Schools. I was excited to be a part of the construction team building these two new schools that will serve the children and the community for many years to come. Most of our work ends up being concealed from view above the ceilings and within the walls. However, for this project we were able to partner a quality product with our excellent craftsmanship to showcase some of our work on the water tanks, pump bodies, and valves in the mechanical rooms," said Carl E. Hughes, II, President at Cascade Insulation Company.
Soon Hughes and Marty Harrington, Field Superintendent, began working on their strategy to meet this strict deadline to ensure the school was ready for its new occupants. Being veteran insulation installers, Hughes and Harrington knew they needed a product that could be applied quickly without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
The 90ft x 30ft mechanical room was built to house two large chilled water tanks and four pumps to support the occupants of the newly constructed middle school. The need to ensure that the efficiency of the new water systems would be maintained and protected was the main focus. 
Armacell’s ArmaFlex® insulation and ArmaFlex® 520 Adhesive were the correct solutions for this mechanical room project and are in a class of their own. AP ArmaFlex closed-cell foam insulation provides superior protection against thermal losses, condensation and moisture accumulation. For applications requiring fire and smoke ratings of 25/50, AP ArmaFlex FS (Flame Spread) meets ASTM E 84 at 25/50 for 1-1/2” and 2” thicknesses. Both may be used on a variety of curved or flat mechanical surfaces such as large pipe, ducts, tanks, chillers, etc. Schools, hospitals, government institutions and commercial spaces value the long-term performance and peace of mind that AP ArmaFlex lends to HVAC and mechanical piping systems. ArmaFlex maintains its physical and thermal integrity while its moisture-resistant characteristics make it especially valuable on metal surfaces that are susceptible to condensation.
ArmaFlex 520 Adhesive is an air-drying contact adhesive that is excellent for reliably and safely joining seams and butt joints of ArmaFlex pipe and sheet insulations for line temperatures up to 220°. The adhesive may also be used to apply ArmaFlex sheet insulation to flat or curved metal surfaces that will operate at temperatures up to 180°F.
Installers take note - Using ArmaFlex and ArmaFlex 520 Adhesive was the ideal choice for insulating mechanical piping systems supporting our future generations.
Download Case Study PDF here.