Insulating pipes is worth it!

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BoilerMan

BoilerMan

Minister of Fire
Apr 16, 2012
1,717
Northern Maine
Just thought I'd post some great results on what most of us already know. I'm not a big proponent of insulating hot water pipes in a boiler room unless it's way too hot and heat is just being wasted. This, however, has proven to be very worth while.

Before insulating the 1" copper (all 6 connections) from the top of the indirect I observed about 1 degree drop/hr of internal water temp. Now it's less than half of that.

I should note that the 1deg/hr is with some of the cheapo black foam from Lowes in an effort to keep the heat in the tank, I never measured it before that.

This is 1" commercial fiberglass from a jobsite. Very easy to work with, and with a bit of time you can make it look really nice.

Taylor 001.JPG

TS
 
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BoilerMan said:
Just thought I'd post some great results on what most of us already know. I'm not a big proponent of insulating hot water pipes in a boiler room unless it's way too hot and heat is just being wasted. This, however, has proven to be very worth while.

Before insulating the 1" copper (all 6 connections) from the top of the indirect I observed about 1 degree drop/hr of internal water temp. Now it's less than half of that.

I should note that the 1deg/hr is with some of the cheapo black foam from Lowes in an effort to keep the heat in the tank, I never measured it before that.

This is 1" commercial fiberglass from a jobsite. Very easy to work with, and with a bit of time you can make it look really nice.

View attachment 125440

TS
Click to expand...

Where do you get something like this? I have only found the black kind at PEXSupply.

Bob
 
I got it from commercial insualtors at a job I was at. He said they order it.....

Sorry I know that doesn't help.

TS
 
I do actually, the two pipes that go down, there are another one that goes down behind the boiler. The two that go up, are on a zone valve so not much flow, but that first couple of feet of pipe stay warm. With two coils, and a hot and cold it adds up to a lot of surface area.

TS
 
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When I had my new boiler installed this past fall I actually started insulating the heat/hot water piping in my unfinished, unheated basement. I bought several six foot section of the black foam. It wasn't cheap and I eneded up not doing all of the pipes. I had my rim joists spray foamed in December. Now I'm thinking that I won't bother with insulating the pipes at all. I think if I do anything else in the basement my money would be best spent insulating the walls down to the frost line. I'm guessing that would signiifcantly increase the ambient tempertaure in the basement.
 
I have some left over fiberglass insulation from work as well. I have a few peices that are missing the white paper covering. That wrapping is actually reflective on the inside and does more than you would expect! I can physically feel a little heat on the fiberglass peices with no wrapping, but the rest of it feels room temperature with 175*F water inside the pipes.

I got some 1/2" thick foam insulation for the rest and that stuff always feels 90-100*F surface temp. Big difference in quality of R factor.
 
velvetfoot said:
Sure, sure, everybody gets this stuff at work. I accidentally bring home a pencil once in a while. :)

Seriously, it looks good, plus it won't melt at the hot spots.
Click to expand...
I misspoke... not left over: demo'd. We were removing an old air handler and there was a lot of this fiberglass pipe insulation that was going to the trash. I kept all the pieces 3 foot long or so. No stealing from work! I even returned 13 pens today that my wife had been stashing next to the washing machine after removing them from my shirt pockets!
 
DZL_Damon said:
No stealing from work! I even returned 13 pens today that my wife had been stashing next to the washing machine after removing them from my shirt pockets!
Click to expand...
Same here, just to be honest. I offered to pay the guys insulating all the piping on a commercial job for this insulation, I was asking him if it was expensive. He asked me how much I needed, and gave it to me...........

TS
 
DZL_Damon said:
I misspoke... not left over: demo'd. We were removing an old air handler and there was a lot of this fiberglass pipe insulation that was going to the trash. I kept all the pieces 3 foot long or so. No stealing from work! I even returned 13 pens today that my wife had been stashing next to the washing machine after removing them from my shirt pockets!
Click to expand...


Off topic pen story: a friend owns a auto repair shop/full service gas station and had some pens done for advertising with name etc. " this pen was stolen from Libby's Service Station"
 
Rick Stanley said:
Off topic pen story: a friend owns a auto repair shop/full service gas station and had some pens done for advertising with name etc. " this pen was stolen from Libby's Service Station"
Click to expand...

I have stolen one of their pens....
 
DZL_Damon:

I noticed that you have a Kedel at home. I had considered the Kedel myself last year before deciding on the Windhager. I'm just curious how it's been for you.
 
Forget the pens. Go for those stainless screws to attach your registration plates.
 
Dana B said:
DZL_Damon:

I noticed that you have a Kedel at home. I had considered the Kedel myself last year before deciding on the Windhager. I'm just curious how it's been for you.
Click to expand...

Very happy with it thus far. I had not heard of Windhager at the time I got mine, but see them as my second choice now I've read up on them. They appear to be a well built equivalent priced unit. I would love to see one in person and really look it over.
 
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