Friday, December 7, 2007

Insulating the Steam Pipes

A couple of days ago, we got the first length of 1.5-inch-thick insulation for the steam pipes. It was only a three-foot length -- I wasn't about to order 25 lengths at ten bucks a pop, based solely on the assumption that I had measured the pipes correctly, remembered pi correctly, completed the math correctly, and then guessed blindly at the correct size of insulation.

Surprisingly, the insulation fit perfectly. And it was simple to install, as well; these are preformed fiberglass lengths with a vapor barrier glued to the outside. They open up like a hinge, and then you just close them around the pipe. The wrap has an adhesive strip, so you peel off the paper and seal the deal. Simple.

We ordered the other 24 lengths yesterday. We got them from Express Insulation, because of their shipping price. The other places we checked were going to charge around $150 for shipping; Express Insulation charged $30. It was a pretty simple decision.

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