Thermal insulation of pipes of a heating system is the most important task for high-quality heating of a house. Thanks to the additional insulating layer, the water supply and heating pipes will maintain a high temperature longer. You can insulate an external heating system in a private house or apartment on your own using different methods.
The need to insulate heating pipes
At first glance, it may seem that insulation of pipes in apartment buildings, through which hot water flows, is not required. But in practice this is not the case. The heating circuit always has a high temperature, since the heating medium circulates in it. But the outside temperature is always lower, which is why the heat carriers cool down faster. Insulation will keep you warm for a long time. The use of insulating materials for pipes is especially important when laying heating mains underground or in the open air. Laying rules are regulated by GOST, SNiP and other standards.
Lack of insulation is economically disadvantageous. If there is no insulation layer, the walls of the coolant pipe are in direct contact with cold air outside and cool quickly. This leads to a drop in temperature in the entire heating system and in the heated rooms. The efficiency of such a system is minimal - a lot of fuel is spent on heating the water, and the temperature in the room is low. Insulation allows you to increase efficiency, reducing heat loss.
Insulation requirements
The modern market offers a wide range of materials for insulation. They all have their own characteristics, features, operating conditions. When choosing a heater for thermal insulation of pipes, you need to rely on the following parameters:
- Thermal conductivity. The lower it is, the better the heat will be retained.
- Hygroscopicity. In case of water ingress, the pipe will heat up worse.
- Resistant to high temperatures. It is connected with the fact that hot water will flow through the pipes, and the temperature outside will be lower. The material must be resistant to temperature fluctuations.
- Operating time.
- Easy to install, unpretentious care.
To insulate the external heating system, a variety of insulation materials are used: PVC, mineral wool, plastic and polyurethane insulation, colored polyethylene tubes and others. It will not be difficult for the buyer to select material for specific conditions for a certain estimate.
The main types of heat insulators
The choice of insulator is influenced by climatic conditions, budget and specific customer requirements. The best version of tubular and roll thermal insulators is selected for these criteria.
Mineral wool
Mineral wool is a popular material for insulation. It has good durability and practicality.
There are several types of mineral wool:
- Made of basalt. Differs in high resistance to heat (up to 600 ° C). Does not enter into a chemical reaction with pipes, does not emit harmful substances when heated.
- Fiberglass. It is based on quartz sand. It is used only for external finishing of external pipes. There are temperature restrictions - up to 200 ° C.
Mineral wool has a high percentage of moisture absorption, which reduces the insulating properties. To avoid this, waterproofing is necessarily used. Roofing material is used as waterproofing materials, the sheets of which are wrapped around the highway. This is the easiest and most convenient way to isolate. For pipes, rolled mineral wool is bought.
Popular brands of materials include Energoflex, Germaflex, Vilatherm and others.
Styrofoam
For the external finishing of pipes, a special form of foam is produced, which repeats the geometry of the line. The most common form is a two-piece ring. The material almost does not absorb moisture, but additional waterproofing is still required. The rigid foam shell adheres perfectly to the pipe. Available in gray and blue.
There is a type of foam that has a high density and water resistance - it is extruded polystyrene foam. Polyurethane foam has a similar composition.
Foamed insulation
For the manufacture of such heaters are used:
- rubber;
- expanded polystyrene;
- polyurethane.
Insulation is made in the form of a cover, which has a cut for ease of installation. After installation, this cut must be glued so that moisture does not get inside.
Reflective pipe wrapping
Penofol is used for external reflective winding of street pipes. The principle of operation is to reflect heat from the mirror surface of the insulation. Mineral wool, foam rubber, porilex and other insulation can be used as such a material, which must be covered with foil on top. Fixation is carried out on a strong wire.
The main functions of pipeline insulation of this type:
- reflection of warm streams;
- wind protection;
- do not allow cold and moisture to pass through.
The most convenient reflective pipe insulation is penofol. It contains an insulating layer and a foil for reflection. Available in various sizes and thicknesses in the form of a cylinder. Foam insulation is less commonly used.
Heat insulating paint
The thermal insulation paint method is highly efficient with minimal weight. Only a few millimeters of paint are enough to cover the pipe. Allows you to replace thick layers of other insulation for decoration.
Sprayed insulation
This is one of the best ways to insulate pipes. The process is fast, the insulation is high-quality and reliable. Due to the absence of seams and joints, the possibility of moisture or wind entering the pipes is excluded.
The main disadvantage of such a finish is the difficulty of installing insulation for heating pipelines. To work you need a certain work experience and a professional tool.
Pros and cons of heaters
Before choosing one or another type of insulation, you need to familiarize yourself with the positive and negative qualities of each material.
Mineral wool has the following benefits:
- good thermal insulation for pipes;
- resistance to aggressive environmental influences;
- long service life;
- does not rot;
- scares away rodents;
- used for pipes with a high temperature indicator;
- low cost.
The main disadvantage is hygroscopicity. Corrected by adding waterproofing.
Penoizol advantages:
- good thermal insulation of pipelines;
- no waterproofing required;
- biological resistance.
The downside is the need for special coating equipment. For this reason, such insulation requires large financial investments.
Pros of Styrofoam:
- low cost;
- tightness;
- ease of installation.
Disadvantage - additional waterproofing is required. It is similar in efficiency to mineral wool.
The advantages of heat-insulating paint include high efficiency, which is achieved even with a single-layer application. It also stands out for its ease of installation and the ability to use it in hard-to-reach places. The downside limiting mass use is the high cost.
Indoor insulation
The need for insulation in the room appears if the room is unheated. It can be an attic, basement, shed, loggia. It should be borne in mind that in such rooms there is a high level of moisture, and rodents are often found, which can damage the insulation.
Thermal insulation is done without waterproofing if the room is closed.
To choose material for the attic, you should pay attention to the characteristics. There must be resistance to heat.
Insulation outside the house
In the case of insulation of street pipes, a waterproofing layer is required.
Algorithm of the procedure:
- laying a layer of mineral wool;
- wrapping the layer with silk threads;
- laying a layer of roofing material;
- wire wrapped in aluminum or galvanized for corrosion resistance.
The material for insulating pipes must be suitable for the appropriate climatic conditions, fulfill the declared functions and be resistant to moisture. In the event of water ingress, many pipe insulation materials lose their properties.
