ACR Journal

27 CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai acrjournal.uk INSULATION One of the highest fire performance ratings is Euroclass B L -s1,d0. Pre-insulated pipes with this rating are guaranteed to generate no or very little smoke in the event of a fire, and no flaming particles, allowing inhabitants time to evacuate their homes safely. Look for products coated in a material such as polyolefin-copolymer, which makes them resistant to mechanical damage whilst also protecting against ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Those featuring insulation of closed-cell composition are also beneficial as they limit the formation of condensation, and so prevents loss of thermal e ciency over time. Armacell’s Tubolit Split and DuoSplit pre- insulated seamless drawn copper pipes are designed for domestic and commercial use. They may be used to connect the indoor and outdoor components of split and multi-split air-conditioning systems and be suitable for external air source heat pumps. In addition, they may be used with refrigerants R410A and R407C, as well as R32 and R290 in accordance with EN 12735-1. Tubolit Split is a single pre-insulated copper pipe, while DuoSplit is a jointed pair for use when the two pipes follow the same route. Product support It is important to select pre-insulated copper pipes from a manufacturer that can provide contractors with technical support and application training. Not only does manufacturer training help contractors to ensure that specified products are correctly installed, but it also helps to reinforce the importance of honouring specifications, both at the stage of initial construction and repair. According to the National Building Specification (NBS) Technology Platform, 70 per cent of respondents to a recent survey agreed that product substitution remains a real issue in the industry. There are various reasons for contractors deciding to substitute specified products, and the main one is cost. However, in our experience, the practise can result in increased contractor costs long-term. In Armacell’s 55 years’ experience of supplying some of the UK’s biggest and best-known technical insulation products, we’ve seen many instances of installers substituting closed-cell insulation for open-cell versions. Unfortunately, this led to moisture intrusion and loss of thermal e ciency, and in every instance, the outcome for the contractor has been expensive remedial work. Armacell o ers one of the largest portfolios of HVAC-R and industrial insulation products, including the UK’s most popular flexible elastomeric foam (FEF), AF/ArmaFlex® Class 0. An industry pioneer, the company, invented flexible foam for equipment insulation; it remains the only UK manufacturer of FEF; AF/ArmaFlex Class 0 was the first FEF to achieve British fire safety standards. It is an environmentally responsible manufacturer: ISO 14001-certified, its manufacturing processes minimise greenhouse gas emissions and are energy-e cient. With a UK-based dedicated customer service team, national sales representatives and a technical support and application training service, Armacell provides an extensive range of value-added services. www.armacell.co.uk