HEAT EXCHANGER INSULATION

[mmfan36]

WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE INSULATES THERE PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERS. AND WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO DO IT? WAS THINKING ABOUT SPRAY FOAM AROUND MINE.ANY HELP APPRECIATED

 

[sbleiweiss]

Some of the manufacturers sell insulation kits for the plat Hx. I have had good success insulating things like bathroom fans by building a box out of styrofoam and then joining it together with great-stuff foam. The foam works as an adhesive to hold the panels together. I think your temps might be a bit high for EPS foam so polyisocyanurate might be a better choice in your application.

 

[MNBobcat]

I didn't insulate mine. IMHO it doesn't lose enough heat to the air to make any difference. Also, all of my plumbing is in the basement which is always cooler than the rest of the house in the winter. Any heat loss to the air in the basement helps heat the basement.

 

[djblech]

I agree with Bobcat, my hx is in the basement, so any heat loss goes into the house . I don't think I would spray foam the hx, that might create a problem with the heat transfer. It would make it hard to get to if you wanted to change it or flush it in the future.

Doug

 

[Gooserider]

Check the temp rating on the foam, but what I've heard of being done is to make a pair of boxes that will fit around the thing being insulated - essentially a "clamshell" configuration. Stretch a piece of heavy plastic wrap (like a plastic garbage bag) across the open faces of the boxes and then tape them around the thing, and then spray foam inside each box - essentially a home-brew version of one of those "foam in place" packaging machines... The key thing is to make sure that you have a solid layer of plastic over the surfaces of the thing being insulated so that you can remove the insulation package later if needed...

Gooserider