Pipe insulation opinions for in the control room.......

[deerefanatic]

ok, I'm getting things wrapped up in my boiler shed now. I need to insulate the pipes in there to minimize heat loss. Slip on insulation is out of the question due to the insane cost. Fiberglass wrap is out due to the fact it doesn't work well if it should get wet somehow.

So I'm looking at two-part spray foam (basically, DIY corbond, just like we're using on underground lines alot now) with an r-value of about 6.5 per inch or this bubble-wrap insulation: http://cgi.ebay.com/Plumbing-Pipe-W...ryZ63894QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

They're claiming an r-value of 11 for that stuff... I find that very hard to believe... But, if that stuff works well, It'd be my best value as the spray foam kits at the local hardware run just over $1 per board foot....

For 8$, that wrap insulation will do ~35 feet of 2" black iron pipe.... which would take about 19 board feet of spray foam at $19-20. (Although you end up buying the whole $200+ dollar kit whether you use it or not....)

I guess it comes down to this: Does the bubble wrap work like it says? I can buy the spray foam kit and use the stuff left over from the pipe insulating to seal up my boiler shed.... It won't be wasted. I'm just looking for what will be best for pipe insulating.. I have all the pipes in the shed, in my basement, in my shop, and in the milkhouse to insulate...

 

[pybyr]

I like bubble foil and have used it with success and happy results for some things

BUT...

bubble foil, since it largely works by reflecting, supposedly works best if there's a wee bit of air space between it and the hot surface so as to prevent heat transmission by conduction) (nofossil discussed and explained that nicely somewhere in his analyses here or on his site of his multi-technology insulation for his outdoor storage tank) and that (space between hot surface and the bubble foil) seems unlikely to occur or to be something you'll be able to keep with pipe insulation that's wrapped on/around the pipe

I'd also hesitate to use spray foam over pipe- just seems like it'd be really lousy to discover that there's some leak that shows up later under the insulation and you have to start hacking the stuff away to find where the leak really is vs where it's emerging from under the foam.

Hot Rod, aka in hot water, f/k/a master of sparks, mentioned some pipe insulation product he was really impressed with not too long ago. If that isn't too pricey, it sounded like the bee's knees

 

[deerefanatic]

Yah, I wondered on that with the bubble wrap stuff.........

I may just spray foam it anyway.. If I have to take apart for leaks down the road, I'll have bigger issues than that.

Heck, I might just have the Corbond guy out again..... He was cheaper than the DIY kits last time..