Plastic pipes are used frequently in all types of buildings and their market share continues to grow. They are used as domestic-water and wastewater pipes, as gas pipes, for heating and plumbing systems, and increasingly for chilled-water pipes. Regardless of the type of plastic pipe used, insulation is essential. Plastic pipes have many advantages, but just like metal pipes they must be protected against energy loss. In refrigeration and air-conditioning applications they also must be protected against condensation. Because plastics have a lower thermal conductivity than metals, however, it is often wrongly assumed that they needn’t be insulated. This is completely false because correctly selected and applied insulation of plastic pipes will reduce heat loss/gain of up to 75% when compared to uninsulated pipes. Saving energy saves money and it reduces a building’s carbon footprint – so insulating plastic pipes is just as important as insulating metal pipes!
