On many heating, steam and chilled-water systems the pipework is fully insulated but the valves, flanges, strainers and pumps are left bare. These fittings need regular access, so they are often left uncovered after commissioning or stripped during maintenance and never reinstated.
Why bare fittings are a problem
- Heat loss: a valve body and its flanges have a large surface area, so an uninsulated fitting loses far more heat than its size suggests, and on a busy plant room these add up
- Burn risk: hot valve bodies and flanges are a contact hazard for anyone working in the plant room
- Condensation: on chilled and cold-water systems, bare fittings drip, which damages finishes and causes corrosion
- Inconsistent temperatures: heat loss at fittings makes systems work harder to hold temperature
What a removable jacket is
A removable jacket is an insulated cover made to fit a specific valve, flange or fitting. It is fastened with straps, buckles or hook-and-loop closures, so it can be taken off for inspection or servicing and refitted in minutes without tools or new materials. Jackets are made with an insulating core inside a durable outer cover, chosen to suit the operating temperature and whether the location is indoors or outdoors.
Where removable jackets are used
- Plant rooms and boiler houses
- Steam and condensate systems
- Heating and chilled-water headers
- Process pipework that needs frequent inspection
- Pumps, strainers, heat exchangers and expansion joints
Removable jackets or metal boxes?
Removable jackets are quick to fit and easy to remove. On external or high-impact areas, a removable metal box over the fitting, matching the surrounding aluminium cladding, can be the better option. Many installations use a mix of both.
How Lagforce can help
We supply and fit removable valve and flange jackets on new installations and retrofit them to existing systems as part of insulation repairs and upgrades. See an example in our plant room before-and-after project.
Send drawings, specifications, photographs and the site location to info@lagforce.ie, or call 083 077 9667.