Why do you need duct insulation?

Duct work insulation is very important. Insulated ducts ensure that air travelling through the conduit does not lose any heat or coolness on their way to the rooms. The air is not "leaking" out. Leaks in duct will lead to energy loss which will increase your power bills. It will force your machine to work harder which is bad for its health. Let’s take a look at some of insulation available for duct work.

 Thermal Wool Insulation

HVAC duct work carries hot air from the central unit to your rooms. As a result your ducts need good insulation to ensure no heat loss. Thermal insulation is used in both residential as well as industrial ducts to avoid heat loss, condensation and improve comfort. Flexible glass wool thermal insulation is often used for this. These are generally available as rolls which are wrapped around the duct’s outer surface. You can also find them in form of boards, blankets, lam ell as or wired mats for the insulation of rectangular duct works. They a reapplied to the external surface of the ducts and are secured in position with cables, elastic bands or tapes. They also incorporate aluminium foil facing that acts as a vapour barrier. They also reduce noises traveling through your ducts.

 Bubble Wrap

These generally have silver foil on both sides with sheet of bubbles sandwiched in between. The scientific principle that works behind this is that that the reflective surface contributes to more heat resistance than standard insulation. This is a light duty insulation material that is only 6mm thick. It is reasonably priced and is easy to install.

 They are also versatile and can withstand temperatures up to 180 degrees and as low as 60 degrees below zero. Besides these benefits it is also clean and strong. It is safe to handle. It does not need any breathing equipment or special clothing for Installation. It reflects 97 % of radiant heat. To secure it in position, it can be nailed, stapled or glued. It has useful properties like waterproof and non-absorbent, which make it very suitable as a duct insulator.

  Acoustic Flexible Pipe in Pipe

These are used in large installations. Generally you will see them in commercial areas such work places. Although air ducts are designed to provide you with fresh, heated or cooled air, they also transmit unwanted sound through them. This may comprise of the noises from the buildings, or neighboring rooms, or fans and other mechanical systems. The disturbing noises from the surroundings decreases productivity in work and can cause an array of health problems due to noise pollution. Therefore acoustic insulation are often used as they are quite efficient in reducing ambient noises in buildings. When planning to use acoustic insulation, one must take into account the type of noises that are being carried through the ducts. Usually a combination of techniques like absorption, encapsulation, vibration damping and decoupling are utilized to prevent noise transfer. Usually for lagging a viscoelastic insulation is used to stop influx of unnecessary sound into rooms. Besides this there are acoustically insulated flexible pipe being installed over a solid rigid pipe. Often foam is used as an acoustic insulation material. The pipe systems need less jointing and taping. However it is quite an expensive option among insulation. The pipe has a highly dense and flexible mass layer that gives really good sound reduction properties.

 Fiberglass Insulation

It contains a variety of materials such as sand and recycled glass. It is the most popular form of insulation in the United State. However, it is linked to certain health hazards such as skin irritation. They are lined on the ducts. They are both cost effective as well as easy-to-install. When the insulation goes in bad shape you can replace it easily. They also absorb noise. But you need to inspect often for moisture absorption. They come with a thickness of 1 or 2 inch thickness