Steam Pipe Insulation-Where to get it?

Mark K

Hi all,

I just bought a new house with a one-pipe steam heating system. The pipes in the un-heated basement had damaged asbestos insulation on them, so I had that removed.

Now, I want to re-insulate them. What type of insulation should I use? The pipes are all different sizes; is there a pipe wrap available so I don't have to measure it all? All the insulation I've seen in Home Depot says not to use on Steam pipes.

Thanks for the help!

Unknown

Use something like this

http://www.knauffiberglass.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=prd.dspProdDetail&ID=1

It won't be in a home center, though.

Noel

chuck_6

If you have a local plumbing/heating supply store they should have pipe insulation. You want to get the fiberglass kind. You may want to wrap a string around the different size pipes and bring it to the supply store and they can tell you the size. The fiberglass insulation comes in 3 foot lengths, so you need to measure the length of the pipes as well.

Ranger

.....in Central Jersey

State Insulation (732)-442-5656.

Brad White_2

Pipe Insulation

The string measurement method works fine in a pinch, but where would I be without my Pocket Rocket (R) available from Dan's site? Measures anything cylindrical up to about 16" diameter, and it is accurate.

For insulation, the advice about moulded fiberglass (Knauff, Certain-Teed, Owens Corning or J.Manville) is the way to go. Do NOT use foam products; generally not made for those temperatures and will melt.

Your local energy code may dictate thicknesses to be used. Buy the thickest you can afford, forget the 1/2" thick stuff you find in the home centers. For thicknesses here in Mass., they start at 1.5 inch thick to 1.5" pipe and use 2 inch thick for pipe sizes up to 4 inch. So if 2 inch pipe, 2 inch insulation is the way to go (legally speaking).