Energy costs in commercial buildings can rise quickly. If you’re a commercial property owner or manage a municipality, university, school, or hospital (MUSH), pinpointing ways to reduce costs, lower your carbon footprint, and make your building a more comfortable environment is crucial.
In one study, losses from hot water systems corresponded to approximately 65% of the energy consumption for domestic hot water, making insulating a building’s pipes a real concern. While insulated pipes can significantly impact building energy costs, effective insulation solutions can provide substantial savings and other benefits.
One way your building could be experiencing significant heat loss or gain is through uninsulated pipes. This deep dive into how uninsulated pipes can impact energy costs by Thermaxx Jackets shows the significance of insulating pipes. Understanding the impact of uninsulated pipes and exploring effective solutions can help reduce your energy costs in the long term.
Understanding the Cost of Heating Water for Commercial Buildings
The cost of heating water in commercial buildings depends on several factors. The following aspects can all affect heating water energy costs:
- Building size: Larger buildings typically use more hot water because of the higher potential number of occupants.
- Building type: A building’s purpose significantly impacts its water heating expenses. The costs for a commercial building like a restaurant vary considerably from those of an industrial building, while a school typically uses less hot water than a hospital.
- Region and climate: Buildings in colder areas typically need and use more hot water, resulting in higher energy bills.
- Water usage habits: In any building, water usage impacts the energy bill.
- Energy source: The cost of heating water differs depending on the building’s primary energy source. For example, natural gas is typically more cost-effective than electricity, and renewable energy solutions like solar power tend to be the most cost-effective over time.
- Energy efficiency: The energy efficiency of the building’s water heating equipment — including the boilers, water heaters, and pipes — impacts utility costs.
3 Ways Uninsulated Pipes Affect Energy Costs
Pipe insulation is crucial for reducing heat loss, especially in colder regions. Heat escapes from pipe systems without proper insulation, wasting energy and leading to higher costs. There are several ways in which insulated pipes affect energy costs and other expenses for commercial buildings:
1. Overworking Heating Systems
The primary concern with uninsulated pipes is that they cause significant heat loss, and hot water running through uninsulated pipes cools down rapidly. The rapidly cooling water then forces the building’s heating system to work overtime to maintain the desired temperature. The strain of overworking to reheat cooling water increases energy costs.
A building’s water heating system primarily delivers hot water to taps throughout the building. When insulated hot water or steam pipes lose heat to the surrounding environment, it also affects the ambient temperature. Occupants may adjust heating systems to compensate, placing additional strain on them and increasing energy costs.
2. Creating More Maintenance
Uninsulated pipes impact more than energy costs. The cost of maintaining your building’s heating systems also increases when pipes aren’t insulated. Condensation, water damage, and mold are all concerns for uninsulated pipes.
Condensation on pipes, or “sweating,” can form on cold pipes and cold equipment. Sweating may appear harmless initially, but prolonged condensation can lead to numerous expensive issues. Condensation can cause pipes and their fittings to corrode, causing leaks that waste a significant amount of water and affect the utility bill.
Leaks from sweating can also create an unsafe and unhygienic environment. The prolonged buildup of moisture can cause water damage on ceilings, floors, and walls. Persistent moisture can also lead to mold growth and compromise indoor air quality. Mold can pose a significant health risk and can be expensive to remove.
In colder climates, uninsulated pipes are susceptible to freezing. Frozen pipes can burst and cause subsequent issues that result in expensive repairs.
3. Causing a Higher Environmental Impact
In a study commissioned by the National Insulation Association and a coalition of trade associations, it was found that insulating buildings properly, including pipes, could lead to 10 billion tons of carbon emission reductions over a 50-year period. In other words, insulation is crucial for reducing the world’s carbon footprint.
Another consideration is the evolving legal regulations around energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Building owners may face fines for carbon dioxide emissions exceeding a prescribed limit. In comparison, building owners who increase their energy efficiency by at least 25% may be eligible for tax deductions.
Top 5 Pipe Insulation Benefits
Is pipe insulation worth it? What kinds of benefits can building owners experience when they insulate their pipe systems? By choosing to insulate pipes, MUSH and commercial property owners and managers can experience several significant advantages:
- Energy efficiency and cost savings: Insulating pipes makes them more energy-efficient, as they don’t lose heat unnecessarily. You can draw a direct correlation between insulating pipes and decreasing energy usage in your heating system, since it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the water heated. This increased efficiency can directly result in a reduced energy bill.
- Enhanced thermal comfort: You can maintain a more consistent temperature throughout your building by insulating pipes. Insulated pipes can reduce the number of drafts and cold spots, improving thermal comfort and reducing strain on heating and cooling systems.
- Enhanced heat distribution: Insulated pipes greatly improve operational heat distribution throughout a building. Insulation helps ensure water can reach its destination without losing heat, which enhances the heating system’s performance.
- Pipe protection and longevity: Insulated pipes are less exposed to the elements, so they won’t be subject to condensation and corrosion to the degree of uninsulated pipes. Insulating your building’s pipes protects them and extends their lifespan.
- Lower carbon footprint: An energy-efficient system releases fewer greenhouse gas emissions and creates a lower carbon footprint.
Solutions for Insulating Pipes in MUSH and Commercial Buildings
You can reduce energy costs associated with your building’s pipe systems by exploring different insulating solutions. One of the most common solutions is insulation jackets.
What Are Insulation Jackets?
Insulation jackets, also called insulation covers or blankets, are custom-made insulating covers designed to fit over pipes and other fixtures in a piping system. They provide thermal insulation to reduce heat loss or gain in piping systems and help reduce energy consumption and costs.
Insulation jackets can be made from various materials, depending on the manufacturer and the primary application. One example is a combination of materials like fiberglass cloth and aerogel to create an insulating and water-resistant product. Insulating jackets can be prefabricated or custom-made.
Types of Insulating Materials for Pipes
There are various materials manufacturers can use for pipe insulation. Insulating materials for pipes in commercial and industrial buildings can include:
- Fiberglass: Fiberglass has excellent thermal resistance properties, making it a strong choice for hot and cold piping systems. Fiberglass is an especially good material for insulating hot piping systems, as its strongest variations can withstand extremely high temperatures. Fiberglass is cost-effective and lightweight. Combined with a vapor barrier, it’s also moisture-resistant, reducing the risk of sweating and corrosion.
- Mineral wool: Made from natural rock fibers, mineral wool is durable and dense. It’s well-suited to high-temperature applications and able to withstand high temperatures. Mineral wool proves effective for preventing heat transfer and reducing energy loss. It’s also moisture resistant.
- Foam glass: This rigid material is made from crushed glass that’s heated and expanded. It provides thermal stability and a high degree of moisture resistance. It’s an excellent insulating material if your primary concern is preventing mold and corrosion in your piping system. Foam glass is noncombustible, adding a degree of fire protection to your heating system.
- Polyurethane and polyisocyanurate: Polyurethane and polyisocyanurate are rigid foams known for their outstanding thermal resistance and insulating properties that help reduce heat transfer. Both foams are lightweight materials that won’t add unnecessary weight to piping systems and have good moisture-resistant properties. Polyisocyanurate has higher heat-resistant properties than polyurethane, making it a better choice for high-temperature applications.
- Calcium silicate: Calcium silicate is commonly used for insulating systems with industrial applications. It’s ideal for pipes that must withstand heat and mechanical stress, and can handle temperatures up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Calcium silicate is a good choice of insulation for steam piping.
- Elastomeric foam: Elastomeric foam is ideal if your building has complex pipe configurations. It has rubber-like properties that simplify installation and reduce the need for major modifications. Elastomeric foam is also effective for preventing sweating on pipes. Its closed-cell structure can contribute to a better overall performance for your system, as it also prevents air infiltration to regulate temperature throughout the piping system.
- Aerogel insulation: This silica-based material is one of the more advanced options. Aerogel is produced by processing silica-based gel to remove moisture, making it a lightweight material with excellent insulating properties and thermal resistance.
- Perlite: Perlite is made from expanded volcanic glass. The lightweight material is predominantly used for high-temperature industrial applications.
Steps for Insulating Pipes to Reduce Energy Costs
You can follow a few simple steps to insulate your pipes and enjoy greater energy savings:
- Do an initial assessment: Begin by conducting a heat loss survey to gain a clearer understanding of your potential energy savings. By having a professional inspect your piping systems, you can easily find areas of concern, including where heat loss occurs and signs of damage.
- Prepare: Finding the right jacket for your systems is crucial for insulating the pipes correctly. Consider the pipe’s construction, diameter, location, and ambient temperature. You can also have custom jackets fabricated for pipes.
- Position the jacket: You want to carefully wrap the insulation jacket around the pipe section so that it fits snugly against the pipe. If applicable, make sure the jacket’s seams overlap according to the manufacturer’s instructions so that it’s aligned properly. Some jackets, especially custom-designed jackets, have cut-outs for parts like valves and flanges. If it doesn’t have these cutouts, position it so it covers these parts, too.
- Secure the jacket: You’ll then fasten the closures to secure the jacket. Different jackets may have buckles, Velcro straps, or snap lacing. It’s easiest to start with the closures closest to the pipe. Jackets will also have straps you can tighten to create the best fit. Beware of over-tightening the straps, which could compress and compromise the insulation material. Be sure any overlapping seams or flaps are properly sealed.
Insulating Pipes in MUSH and Commercial Buildings Is Key to Energy Efficiency
Insulating your pipes is an effective way of ensuring MUSH, commercial, and industrial buildings are more energy-efficient. Allowing heat to escape from piping systems only forces systems to work harder, impacting utility bills and maintenance costs. In severe cases, pipes can freeze and burst, costing building owners extensive repair costs.
With solutions like custom insulation jackets, prioritizing pipe insulation for energy efficiency becomes a straightforward task that works out to be a cost-effective solution in the long run.
