Insulating steam pipes.

deickhorst

All the old asbestos insulation was taken off the pipes in the basement years ago and after reading the forums here – it’s time to wrap them up again.



It seems much cheaper to wrap plain old r13 (<a href="http://www.homedepot.com/Owens-Corning/Owens-Corning/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ3q5Z3q5/R-202585857/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.UOuk7W_gEmw">http://www.homedepot.com/Owens-Corning/Owens-Corning/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ3q5Z3q5/R-202585857/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.UOuk7W_gEmw</a>) and tape it with duct tape or foil tape. So is this a bad idea? If anyone has done it this way before, care to share some pictures?

Thanks!

Dennis

nicholas bonham-carter

Insulation

I think that any insulation is better than none.

The preformed insulation has a bit better performance, but is harder to find, and costs more.

With this insulation, you could be done tommorow, and better off than you are now

Mark any unions you cover, for any later work to be done, so you won't be trying to remember where they are years later--NBC

bobby b

insulation

check out express insulation,we have used them many times.they also have fitting covers

Rod

Steam Pipe Insulation

Hi- You might want to check out this post by Crash on insulation.

http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/137178/Insulation#p1236446

-Rod

Rob_40

Buy pipe insulation

I recommend reading the post by Crash about insulation. My two cents (adjusted for inflation) is that you buy the straight pipe insulation and get at least all the straight pipes covered, especially on the near boiler steam pipes. That alone will make a big difference. The fittings can be done later. I found cutting and fitting the straight pipe insulation tubes created enough fiberglass dust to have me itchy for a week. I can only imagine using fiberglass bats to cover your pipes to be create even more airborne fiberglass bits. And it would take some skill to cover them as tightly as the fiberglass tubes specifically made for steam pipe insulation.