Posts Tagged ‘Green home tips’
Proper Insulation of Pipes
Proper Insulation of Pipes
Insulation of your home’s pipes is not something most people think about until there is a problem (i.e., frozen and/or cracked pipes) which will require a licensed water line repair plumber to fix. Being conscientious about insulating your plumbing will result in high performance and long service-life of your piping system. And, insulation is one of the many do-it-yourself tasks that most homeowners can accomplish with little expense and little skill.
To be sure, pipe insulation in parts of the country where pipes have the potential to freeze and burst is a given. Consequently, the time and effort put into seeing that your pipes are properly insulated far outweighs the possibility of a pipe bursting during a snowstorm. While it’s obvious that your outdoor pipes need insulation, other pipes, even those in your home where the temperature is regulated, need insulation as well. For instance if you have an electrical power outage, go on vacation or have a sudden temperature drop, you are susceptible to frozen pipes. By properly insulating all pipes connected to your home, you can eliminate the possibility of an unexpected problem.
In addition, insulation of your plumbing can have a huge impact on your home’s energy use as well as the price you pay for that usage. Insulation of your pipes improves the thermal efficiency of your home, limits heat transfer, provides a vapor barrier against moisture, eliminates condensation and decelerates pipe deterioration. All of these results help keep energy prices down and contribute to environmental preservation.
What Materials to Use
Materials used for insulation of pipes have recently moved from mineral and fiberglass products to flexible and rigid closed-cell glass materials. The newest materials will block moisture that would normally collect in tradition fiberglass insulation and keeps pipes from getting wet even under the harshest of circumstances. Some methods of insulation use a wicking material, wrapped around the pipes that will absorb moisture and carry it outside of the jacket over your pipes where the moisture evaporates. If you need to insulate underground pipes, you can buy a variety of polyurethane foam products that serve as excellent insulators and limit the impact of water on those pipe systems.
Take time this winter to inspect your pipes for exposed areas. You can then insulate them yourself or call a local qualified plumber to do the job for you. A small investment upfront on insulation may save you a lot of money over this winter season.
Blog post provided by: Alpharetta GA plumbing services experts