The benefits of piping insulation is more evident at expensive oil prices. The heat loss (up to 20%) in piping from non insulated pipes, can cause increase fuel bills, and uneven distribution of heat. Think for a minute. The longer the piping runs to distant rooms, without insulation, the more heat is wasted in the walls and piping areas on the way to those rooms. The longer the heat needs to be supplied to heat the piping and the room radiation. It is like you running to the car on a cold morning without your overcoat on. The heat loss while you wait for the car to warm up, is quite uncomfortable. The longer it will take for you to warm up after the car is warm. The same is for a building. So it pays to insulate all pipes and ducts from the boiler or furnace to the heat emitters in the living space.
Insulation is especially important in steam heated buildings. Steam pipes are very hot. The hotter they are the more heat is lost from the exposed hot pipes. Most buildings have had their asbestos insulation removed, or the insulation has deteriorated to the point where it is no longer insulating very well. The first issue here is to have the insulation made of asbestos properly treated and repaired or removed by a licensed professional. That is the law. Because the steam pipes are so hot the heat loss is a very expensive waste of energy. Perhaps the basement where the pipes are is quite warm. That is wasted heat before it gets to the heating space where the people are. Just touch one lightly without burning yourself when the heat is on. The heat you feel is causing condensation of steam on the inside of the piping, which requires the boiler to replace with steam before is can get to the rooms. When steam condenses it shrinks to water 1700/1. Insulating prevents this heat loss and sends the new steam to the rooms where the heat is needed. Covering trhe pipes with 1 or 2 inches of fiberglass insulation can save tremendous amounts of comfort to the rooms, energy and fuel cost. Saving on fuel cost also saves on exhaust emissions up the chimney. We all need to do more of that. Exquisite Heat technology further saves on fuel by telling the boiler exactly what number of minutes the boiler has to fire to meet the heating needs to the rooms from thermostat analysis.
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