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Holiday Inn and Suites; Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico

Hotel Opts for AP Armaflex® Black LapSeal for Chilled Water Piping

Project: Chilled Water Piping Insulation for Holiday Inn & SuitesHoliday Inn and Suites Mexico
Location: León, Guanajuato, Mexico
Owner: OperaInnSuites S.A. de C.V.
Builder/Contractor: Termo Técnica Quin
Distributor: Especialidades Delta T de Monterrey

CHALLENGE: Insulate 6400 feet of chilled water pipe on hotel project with extremely tight construction schedule
SOLUTION: Minimize installation time and maximize security by using pre-slit AP Armaflex Black LapSeal insulation with secure self-sealing connection and lap seal.

Owners aren’t always so discriminating when it comes to piping insulation, but when presented with the choice between AP Armaflex® closed-cell foam insulation and a competing brand, OperaInnSuites S.A. de C.V., took a hard pass on the competing product. The company, a franchise manager for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), was set on using Armaflex to insulate the chilled water piping at the Holiday Inn® & Suites Leon Plaza Mayor in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Completed the first quarter of 2016, the new Holiday Inn & Suites was a fast-track construction project. Design build contractor, Termo Técnica Quin (TTQ), specified AP Armaflex Black LapSeal pipe insulation (3/4" wall thickness) for 6400 feet of chilled water piping in the hotel. The product features an easy-to-use lap seal closure system that facilitates installation.Holiday Inn and Suites Mexico

Armaflex Black LapSeal is pre-slit with a self-sealing connection area that is cut at an angle to achieve a greater surface area than other brands on the market. For added security, a low-profile lap seal ensures the longitudinal seam stays closed and looks neat.

A competing brand of elastomeric foam insulation was offered as an alternative, but the owner had a strong preference for Armaflex based on previous successes with the brand.

Fast and Efficient

Black LapSeal offers the same benefits as any other Armaflex product, but it installs even quicker thanks to its reinforced self-seal system. The lap seal tape is wide enough to ensure seam security without the application of adhesive, making installation a fast, one-step process.

AP Armaflex Black LapSealBlack LapSeal is made up of the same closed-cell structure that prevents moisture migration and wicking inside any Armaflex product. On chilled water systems, this is particularly important because the transference of any moisture from condensation has a distinct impact on the thermal effectiveness of the insulation. Specifically, a single 1% of moisture gain equates to a 7.5% loss in thermal efficiency. Black LapSeal has a near zero water vapor permeability and a 0.2% water absorption rate, making it virtually impervious to moisture intrusion.

Like all Armaflex products, Black LapSeal does not require a separate vapor retarder or jacket and its closed-cellular structure cannot be compromised by surface punctures or tears like other insulating materials can be.

TTQ had used Armaflex many times over the years and was well aware of its benefits in chilled water applications, but this was the first time the company had used Black LapSeal. Lead engineer, Jose Alfredo Velazquez of TTQ, opted for the product because the construction schedule allowed such a limited amount of time for installation.

Holiday Inn and Suites Mexico“Armacell’s AP Armaflex Black LapSeal really helped keep us on schedule,” said Velazquez. “It also saved the owner from having to pay additional travel cost for the installers since the team was not local to the project.”

To make sure the project went as smoothly as possible and without any delays, three Armacell representatives, including Armacell’s Application Specialist, were present during installations. In addition, Armacell’s distributor, Especialidades Delta T de Monterrey, brought their own technicians to help oversee the project.

“We had enormous support from Armacell, which in this case, because of the time limitations, gave us tremendous peace of mind,” added Velazquez. “We had no delays and the Holiday Inn & Suites Leon was opened for business as planned in early 2016!”

Download the Job Story PDF here.

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