Pipe | Duct Insulation

Pipe and duct insulation brings in many benefits. From saving energy to minimising the probability of frozen /burst pipes to improving the air quality in a building, pipe and duct insulation take you a step closer to an energy-efficient home. It helps reduce your carbon footprint. 

Below, we will be discussing, insulating ducting, pipe insulation, and HVAC insulation in detail.

What is HVAC?

Those in the construction or plumbing industry may be well-versed with the term, but it can be a relatively new term for the general public. Simply put, HVAC is Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, which is carried out by a network of ducts and pipes in a building.

HVAC, more commonly referred to as the H&V system in the UK, is responsible for the heating and cooling in a building. It supplies heated or conditioned air from the boilers to every corner of a building and eliminates stale air.

Why insulate HVAC?

The network of pipes and ducts is designed, basically to give comfort to the occupants. Insulating ducting and pipes will help improve this comfort. A properly insulated ductwork ensures warm-conditioned air reaches every corner of a building or home.

Pipe and duct insulation saves energy and, therefore, money. It helps make your building energy efficient and improves EPC ratings.

By insulating pipes and ducts in your home or building, you ensure a healthier and safer environment as it helps protect against accidents caused by condensing pipes, pipe bursts etc. 

A majority of pipe and duct insulating materials are non-combustible or have limited combustibility, which provides extra fire safety.

When insulated properly, pipes and ducts work more efficiently, which helps improve the HVAC system to function more efficiently. It reduces repairs and maintenance costs.

Pipe Insulation:

Pipe insulation is basically covering or wrapping the pipe with an insulating material that restricts entry or loss of heat from the pipes. By lagging pipes with phenolic foam, mineral wool, nitrile rubber or other material with good thermal conductivity, you save energy and money.

When the right thickness is used to insulate cold water pipes and the installation is properly carried out, it protects pipes from freezing and eventually bursting.
 
Anyone who has dealt with a burst pipe will know the mess it creates. Burst pipes are expensive to deal with. They damage properties, cause floods and wreak havoc., All of these expensive affairs can be easily avoided by insulating pipes. 

Some pipe lagging we stock at Buy Insulation Online include,

Kingspan Pipe Insulation 

Kingspan makes kooltherm pipe insulation sections made of phenolic foam that can be used to insulate both hot and cold water pipes. Made with phenolic foam, Kooltherm has low thermal conductivity, excellent fire and moisture resistance, making it the most sought-after pipe lagging in the market today.

Additionally, the foil-facings in Kingspan Kooltherm ensure protection from moisture ingress, protecting both, the pipe insulation and its application against the adverse effects of moisture.

The best part about Kingspan pipe insulation is that it is super thin. It is probably the thinnest pipe lagging, available today, which makes it ideal for insulating pipes in the loft area, crawl spaces or places where you have space constraints.

Isover Pipe Insulation:

Isover from Saint-Gobain makes fibreglass pipe insulation, that not only ensures effective thermal insulation to pipes but also soundproofs them.

Isover clim pipe insulation is supplied in 1.2m lengths. It is foil-faced insulation, with superior fire and moisture resistance. Compatible with all kinds of pipework, this fibreglass pipe insulation is suitable for insulating heating and hot water pipe as it works efficiently in temperatures up to 500°C.

Rockwool Pipe Insulation:

Insulation giant Rockwool manufactures pipe insulation made of mineral wool, supplied in 1m lengths. This foil-faced insulation comes with a factory-applied self-adhesive which makes them easy to use and install.

Rockwool pipe insulation is again used to insulate the heating and hot water pipes and works efficiently in high temperatures up to 250°C. Rockwool insulation seems to be the favourite pipe lagging for commercial and industrial applications, though it is equally useful in residential projects.

Nitrile Rubber Pipe Insulation:

Armacell and K-Flex are the two insulation brands that generally make nitrile rubber H&V insulation, at Buy Insulation Online, we stock K-Flex insulation, though we can source Armacell pipe insulation sections for you.

Our K-flex pipe and duct insulation range includes three types of nitrile rubber insulation products. Rubber pipe insulation is supplied in 2m length tubes. We stock both 2m long self-sealing pipe insulation and a 2m non-self-sealing variant, both are which are ideal for insulating cold water pipes and other chilled applications.

Additionally, we also stock K-Flex nitrile rubber sheets and continuous rubber sheets that can be used for ducting insulation and insulating large pipes or tanks. They are flexible, easy-to-use sheets that offer good thermal insulation. Nitrile rubber duct and pipe insulation can be used in temperatures up to -200 °C.

Armacell Insulation:

Armacell has been the go-to brand for many laggers seeking foam pipe insulation. At Buy Insualtion Online, we stock Armacell Tubolit in varying thicknesses at a low cost. 

Armacell Tubolit is supplied in 2m lengths and is ideal to insulate cold water and other chilled water applications.

Pipe Insulation Cost:

The cost of insulating pipework is relatively cheaper compared to insulating other areas of your home. The cost of insulating pipes will depend on the material you choose. Rubber pipe insulation may work out to be cheaper than fibreglass pipe insulation or phenolic foam lagging.

Installing pipe insulation:

Installation of pipe insulation with self-sealing pipe insulation sections like  Rockwool pipe lagging or K-Flex self-sealing pipe insulation is quite easy and a DIY job. You simply have to wrap the insulation around the pipes and remove the backing paper, whilst bringing the insulation ends together.

To insulate pipes using fibreglass or PE foam pipe insulation, you will have to use foil tape, duct tape or pipe insulation adhesives. Use the appropriate pipe identification label to name the pipwork and improve workplace safety.

Outdoor pipe Insulation:

While most of the pipe lagging listed above will need to be covered or clad with appropriate cladding insulation like stucco cladding, isogenopak or PIB insulation. Proper pipe jacketing will help protect both the pipe insulation and the application against UV rays, extreme temperatures and so on.

Duct Insulation

As mentioned above ducting insulation can help improve energy bills, and make the workplace safer and more efficient. A properly insulated ductwork keeps a building clean and fresh as it effectively eliminates stale air.

Ducts can be insulated using duct insulation boards or ductwrap. They may not be a DIY task, but the cost of installing duct insulation can be easily recouped in just a couple of years.

Some of the ducting insulation we stock include:

Isover duct Insulation:

Isover manufactures fibreglass insulation rolls which can be easily installed around ductwork. They are flexible, lightweight insulation rolls supplied in 25mm, 40mm and 50mm thicknesses. 

Ductwrap insulation can be used to insulate all kinds and shapes of ductwork. With their low thermal conductivity and soundproofing properties, they not only give excellent thermal insulation but also absorb the sound waves produced by functioning ductwork. 

Isover duct insulation has foil-facings on one side which helps prevent water ingress. They also help prevent condensation and sweating in ducts.

Kingspan Duct Insulation:

Kingspan makes duct insulation boards that can be used for insulating rectangle and square-shaped ductwork in the HVAC network.

These foam insulation boards are made of PIR or phenolic foam and have the lowest possible thermal conductivity, which helps minimise the transfer of heat. They are moisture-resistant.

Rockwool Insulation:

Here at Buy insulation Online, we stock both ductwrap and duct boards by Rockwool. Made with mineral wool, the ducting insulation range from Rockwool gives superior thermal insulation, acoustic insulation and fire resistance.

Ductwrap is supplied in 25mm, 40mm and 50mm thicknesses, while duct boards are available in 40mm and 50mm thickness range. Both, are foil-faced insulation that helps protect the ducts from water ingress, condensation and sweating. 

We also stock Rockwool DuctRock FirePro and Duo duct boards which are specialist insulation boards made of mineral wool and can be used in applications that require superior fire insulation.

Cost of Duct Insulation:

The cost of installing duct insulation depends on the ducting insulation you choose, the type of ductwork and the area you need to cover. Fibreglass duct insulation rolls work out to be cheaper compared to say PIR insulation or mineral wool duct boards.

Installing duct Insulation:

This may not be a typical DIY job. Duct insulation is best installed by professional insulation contractors, however for insights into the installation process, please refer to our blog. 

Acoustic Pipe and Duct Insulation:

For applications that require top-notch soundproofing =, we stock GIS polymeric barrier and Bostik W110 acoustic wrap. Both these insulation rolls are specially designed to absorb sound waves and give superior sound insulation.

Condensate Pipe Insulation:

For a smooth-functioning boiler, you will have to insulate condensate pipes. At Buy insulation online, we stock condensate pipe insulation that effectively insulates and protect condensate pipes from heat loss and external damage.

We also stock condensate pipe insulation kits that allow for easy installation. Additionally, we stock clips, adhesives and pins that help to install condensate pipe insulation. 

Pipe and Duct Insulation Accessories.

To make your online insulation shopping experience smoother, we stock all the accessories like foil tapes, duct tape, aluminium end caps identification labels, insulation stick pins, insulation wires etc all of which will help complete your installation process.