There are common areas for mechanical insulation use in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings that come to mind: Chilled water piping, chillers, HVAC air handlers, or refrigeration lines. But there are so many more that a specifier should consider. Watch this video to help you visualize where insulation can make a difference.
Reasons to Install Mechanical Insulation
Insulating mechanical systems has many important benefits, including condensation control, energy savings, equipment performance, system performance, emission reduction, water conservation, personal protection, acoustics, and freeze protection.
Condensation Control
Condensation is the process in which water vapor (a gas) in the air turns into liquid water. Avoiding condensation is a major priority on cold piping for chilled water and refrigerant because moisture causes pipe corrosion, mold/mildew, safety hazards, and property damage.
Energy Savings, Equipment Performance, and System Performance
Insulating pipe and ductwork is one of the most effective ways to restrict energy loss. Insulation can increase energy savings, and overall equipment and system performance.
Emission Reduction
Insulation efficiently reduces heat loss for hot-water plumbing, liquid-heating, and dual temperature piping. Through energy savings, insulation use reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lowers our carbon footprint.
Water Conservation
Water is like gold in drought areas, which are of particular importance in the United States. Keep hot water hotter --and for longer-- in hot water delivery piping means less time waiting for the hot water to get to your faucet. This eliminates the need to run the cold water out of the pipes letting it wastefully flow down the drain.
Personal Protection
An often-overlooked benefit, insulation around exposed pipes can provide significant personal protection to those utilizing the area. Wrapping insulation around equipment can protect workers or occupants against very hot pipes or equipment and even protection from sharp edges or low head clearance.
Acoustics
Insulation significantly reduces background and ambient noise caused by mechanical systems and human action. Use it around ducts or equipment to reduce vibration and attenuate noise.
Freeze Protection
Though it is a myth that insulation can completely protect pipes from freezing, insulation can significantly slow down the rate at which pipes freeze when exposed to unsuitable weather conditions. That can buy precious extra time until power can be restored, or extreme weather moves through an area.
If you are an Armacell distributor, an insulation installer or mechanical engineer and you want to learn more about mechanical insulation and mechanical systems, please visit our e-learning platform Armacell Academy.