Pipe Insulation

AG

Thank you all for all of your input. It is much appreciated and I definately learned a lot. Considering your words, I'll scratch out the half inch thickness option.

I am told that 2" will have to be special ordered so I asked for pricing. I am scratching my head on what is going on with the insulation prices, here is what it looks like from 3 locals

1" Thickness, 3' lengths

Local 1: 2.5" diam pipe = $8.99, 2"= $7.92, 1.5"= $7.32

Local 2: 2.5" diam pipe = $7.50, 2"= $6.57, 1.5"= $6.00

Local 3: only quoted me on 0.5" and 2" insulation walls

2" Thickness, 3' lengths

Local 1: 2.5" diam pipe = $7.14, 2"= $6.63, 1.5"= $6.29

Local 2: 2.5" diam pipe = $17.97, 2"= $16.65, 1.5"= $15.81

Local 3: 2.5" diam pipe = $9.62, 2"= $8.46, 1.5"= $7.82

Although, I had my wife inquire in-person about the pricing for Local 1 last week, and I called in today inquiring about 2" thickness, I will have to call them back and confirm that they are quoting me for 2" thick insulation. My guess is that it is only for one foot length (which doesn't seem like 3' lenghts is reasonable ranging for my needed sizes $28.86 to $23.46).

The next option would be that the Local 3, 2" thick option, if correctly quoted for the same "fiberglass" insulation product, is not a bad deal. Any thoughts, or anyone have pricing that you can share, so that I may compare.

Thank you,

-Wondering if its worth the investment to get an additional inch.

AG

Pipe Insulation

I am intending to use firberglass pipe insulation on pipes that range in diameter from 2.5 inch, to 2 inch, to 1.5 inch.

My research on the wall shows that the thicker the better. A few local plumging/heating supplys carry 1/2 inch and 1 inch thick pipe insulation. They can special order 2" thich insulation, but they are telling me that I do not need it, that I will not see much of a difference. Are they correc? or are they just trying to make the sale?

Thank you,

Hating steam, but hopefully grow to love it.

Dave_4

Did you miss the replies to your last thread?

We had a pretty good discussion of it here:

Pipe Insulation Advice

My opinion is that 1" is sufficient. I am not a heating professional.

Larry Weingarten

It's been interesting...

... to watch over time and see how recommended insulation thickness keep going up. Ten years ago, talking about an R-60 attic would get you laughed right out of your local building supply. Now, it's not too strange. You even hear of R-100.

Energy prices will not go down and labor is a big cost in installing insulation. If you use twice as much as you think you can justify by todays economics, you'll be about ten years ahead of the curve AND you'll be saving something along the way and you won't need to think about redoing it later.

Yours, Larry

Brad White

Part of me agrees entirely, Larry

"Code" says much thicker than HD sells. The cost I am just learning for 2x thickness is more than double... Living in the realities of "net present value", I cannot justify the additional cost because the benefit is not there with 4% escalation.

Still, for my own house (call it altruistic motivation), I would go thicker as you say. My clients? I advise them of what I would do, what the code says, and let them make the choice based on numbers. Too often, the numbers win, today.

Unknown

numbers

When my folks built their house, oil was pennies a gallon.

They had only begun to consider using insulation in homes, because the numbers didn't justify the time it took to install it.

My how things change.

Noel

Dave_4

Consider the whole portfolio

The results from 1" will be very close to the results from 2", at 38% of the cost. It might be wiser to take those savings and apply them to tightening up the house, rather than getting just 6% less heat loss to the basement. Some of that heat loss to the basement may be desirable.

If a unit of 1" insulation costs $100 and saves you $20 a year in unwanted heat loss--a five year payback--then a unit of 2" insulation will cost $260 and save you $21.20 a year. That's a twelve year payback. In other words, it's 20% ROI vs. 8% ROI.

Having said all this, it is true that you should include labor in the calculation. If 1" installed is $1,000 and 2" installed is $1,160, it's a lot easier to justify the extra expense.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Part of Me Agrees As Well Larry

Except that R-value is not directly related to heat loss, e.g. the difference in loss between R1-R2 is MANY times greater than the difference between R60-R61 yet it requires the same quantity of added insulation.

R75 or so [seems] around the point where adding more insulation is almost pointless unless you're quite close to a pole.

Dave_4

Local 2 is the only one that makes sense

It looks like local 1 quoted you the 1" per section and the 2" per foot. Local 2 looks like a fair deal if there's no shipping cost.

There's also a small price differential between the US branded insulation and the Chinese stuff. You might want to inquire...

Rich Kontny_3

Where?

Should factor in where you insulating!
If it is under heated living space you may want to go with the 1". It will be more cost-effective and any heat loss will help heat the ambient air in the area the piping is located.If it is in a crawl space or pipe tunnel you may want to go to the thicker walled itchy stuff.

Careful with the return or condensate line many steam systems were purposely designed for no insulation as you want the condensate cooler!

Rich K.

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