Have you ever wondered exactly what aircon insulation is or how it works? If so, you have come to the right place. We also have a guide about which AC line you need to insulate in your office building or home.
What is aircon insulation?
Most aircon insulators are made out of black wide foam wires. They protect the aircon unit’s copper pipes. There are two major types of insulation, called Class 0 and Class 1. If the insulation is of inferior quality, that can result in leakage due to a higher condensation rate. The wires act like a big sponge by soaking the condensed water up that forms on the copper pipes. That helps to protect the pipes and reduce the chance of water leakage and dripping.
What Aircon Insulation Does
There are two primary functions of putting aircon insulation over the copper pipes:
- To provide the copper pipe with protection
- Absorbs condensed water from the pipes – When you turn on your air conditioner, the compressor will change the gas into a liquid. This creates condensation and makes the pipe cold. This is easily understood if you imagine how water condensates on the outer part of the cup containing a cold liquid like beer, water, etc.
Different Kinds of Aircon Insulation
Air conditioners use two different popular kinds of insulation. They are called tube and sheet insulation. Both of them are made out of foam and provide optimum thermal conductivity. Also, they are resistant to heat as well.
Tube Insulation
Typically tube insulation is used to insulate air conditioner pipes and duct systems. The tubes are usually made in a few different sizes and work with varying densities of wall and sized holes. So if you would like to use this specific type of material, you need to make sure you choose the correct steel or copper tube density.
Sheet Insulation
Sheet insulation is the other type of insulation that is used in air conditioners. It is commonly used with windows. Sheet insulation blocks any gaps to make sure air does escape out of a closed space or room. Also, they are very customizable and are available in different shapes, thicknesses, and sizes. So hey can be found in all different sizes to fit any crevice or size opening. They also can be used to reduce the vibration or noise that air conditioner units cause.
So the two major kinds of insulation that can be used for air conditioners are tube and sheet aircon insulation. Both of them are made out of foam. That helps to improve heat and thermal conductivity resistance.
Aircon Insulation Materials
Aircon insulation uses the following types of materials:
- Polyethylene foam
- Fibreglass
- Foam rubber
Foam pipe insulation offers many advantages, and one of the major ones is how easy to cut it is. Also, it is very easy to install the lengths because there is a splint across the length, and their sticky edges make them very easy to seal.
Also, the bond that is formed will be very tight after you take off the protective backing. The foam is also very affordable, and it is easy to purchase more when you need it.
What Specific AC Line Needs to Have Insulation?
Most house air conditioner units have 2 copper lines located on the outside of the house that is connected to the unit’s condenser. The cold copper pipe, which is also called the suction pipe, is the one that needs to be insulated. Usually, it is larger.
The smaller copper does not need to be insulated since there is a liquid contained in the pipe. It also needs to be able to eliminate heat. That will allow your air conditioner system to function properly and cool the interior of a room or home.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed all of the fundamentals of aircon insulation. Hopefully, we have provided you with a good overall idea of what aircon is, how you can insulate it to improve performance, and some useful tips on which of the AC lines needs to be insulated.
If you need some assistance with air conditioning insulation, we are available to help. Our expert team has professional contractors who are specialists in AC line insulation and other related services.
Related read: Essential Guide to AC Parts