Winterproofing Exterior Pipe Insulation: Protecting Infrastructure, Boosting Efficiency, and Reducing Costs
Successfully insulating exterior pipes for winter weather is one of the most constant challenges facing industries with outdoor operations. Oil and gas, chemical, manufacturing, infrastructure, utilities, and mining industries, for example, spend a significant amount of time and money installing, inspecting, and maintaining/repairing insulation damaged by winter rain, snow, ice, sleet, sun, and wind.
As much as insulation is useful for keeping pipes at the desired temperature and protecting workers from burns and accidents, it can also be incredibly destructive. Leaving damaged, wet insulation in place can cause an expensive headache with lasting negative repercussions. When insulation types like fiberglass or rockwool are used, the frequency of replacement can be once a year or more because these kinds of insulation are extremely delicate and can quickly become waterlogged, causing pipe destroying CUI, heat loss, and off-the-charts energy costs.
Common Problems with Exterior Pipe Insulation
Extreme weather = Insulation Degradation
An insulation type that might work adequately indoors can completely fail in extreme weather, such as rain, snow, wind, harsh UV, and temperature fluctuations. In extreme environments, insulation must be durable enough to withstand these conditions, or companies must have deep enough pockets to inspect and replace it frequently.
Moisture Under Insulation = Corrosion Under Insulation
For metal pipes, in particular, it’s vital to have insulation that is in good working order because insulation that becomes waterlogged is the main ingredient in a recipe for disaster. Improperly sealed and poorly maintained insulation can allow for moisture intrusion. As the moisture sits on the pipeline, its corrosive forces get to work, eating away at the metal and creating a potentially dangerous situation where pipeline leaks and failures can lead to expensive losses and, in some cases, hazardous accidents.
Weather Stressors = Insulation Degradation
Winter weather stressors, including freeze-thaw cycles, excessive rain and snow, UV exposure, and wind, can cause insulation wear and tear and degradation, compromising the durability and efficacy of exterior pipe insulation. While fiberglass and rockwool insulation can be easily damaged by impact and moisture, foam-based and rubber insulation can be damaged by UV radiation, hardening, cracking, and degrading over a relatively short period of time. Without an extra UV protective coating, the breakdown of these types of insulation can lead to declining R-value, compromised product and sky-high energy costs.
Winter Insulation Checklist
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Check for Gaps, Cracks and Damage
Be sure all seams and connection points are sealed to keep heat in and moisture out.
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Inspect for Signs of Moisture or Dampness
Visually check for discoloration, staining, sagging, and ice formation. A moisture meter or infrared camera can help you find internal moisture and moisture along the pipe’s bottom edge.
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Make Sure All Bends, Elbows, Joints and End Points Are Properly Insulated
You can have your entire pipeline sealed up tight only to lose a tremendous amount of heat at an elbow joint or improperly wrapped right angle. If you’re pipeline is experiencing heat loss and you can’t figure out why…check these areas.
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Inspect for Corrosion
The various methods for inspecting a pipe for CUI include removal and visual inspection, pulse eddy current, ultrasonics, and conventional or unconventional radiography. Using one or more methods can help identify trouble spots. It’s best to have experts conduct the tests and factor in the limitations of each test in their reports.
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Look for Compression or Settling
When insulation becomes compressed, it can lose its R-value, allowing for heat to escape the pipeline and cold to infiltrate.
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Make Sure There is Easy Winter Access to Trouble Spots
If there are places in the line that are common spots for insulation moisture accumulation or pipeline CUI, make sure that during the winter months, they are easy to get to, inspect, and repair if necessary. Keep areas clear of snow and use insulation types designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions.
For Outdoor Industrial Settings, Weather-Appropriate Insulation is Crucial
Depending on its capabilities and durability, insulation can hurt an outdoor pipeline as much as it can help it. That’s why it pays to choose insulation that is designed to deliver reliable pipeline protection and consistent R-value over time but is also built to withstand whatever harsh conditions winter can throw at it.
Dragon Jacket Insulation is Built For Extreme Conditions
For outdoor operations, there is one standout insulation solution that delivers the protection and steady R-value over time and does it while standing up to the freezing, wet, and unpredictability of winter. Whether you’re an oil field operating in North Dakota or a natural gas facility in California, Dragon Jacket provides the protection from the elements necessary to prevent CUI, maintain constant temperatures, and keep workers safe from burns and other exposed pipeline injuries. A long-lasting insulation like Dragon Jacket delivers short- and long-term ROI in the form of reduced energy and maintenance costs, less waste, longer lasting insulation (like decades longer that fiberglass or rockwool), and pipelines protected from dangerous, damaging CUI.
Harsh Conditions Are No Match for Dragon Jacket
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