The Right Insulation for Indoor Air QualityADDED PROTECTION FOR COLD SYSTEMS AND

AIR HANDLING SYSTEMS

• Preventsmoistureintrusion• Inhibitsmoldandmildew• Fiberfree,dustfree,non-particulating• Formaldehydefree,lowVOCs

AP Armaflex: It’s more than just insulating.

AP Armaflex® The Closed Cell Solution

HowIsInsulationKeytoEffectiveIAQDesign?Insulationmaterialscaneitherhelpdefendagainstorcontributetoindoorairqualityproblems.Thisisparticularlytruewithmaterialsappliedtochilledwaterandrefrigerationpiping,wheretheinsulationneedstodomorethanpreventheatgain.Itshouldalsoresistcondensationandmoistureintrusion.Thisisequallytrueinairhandlingsystems,wheretheinsulationneedstoresistmoisturewhileensuringthattheairpassingoveritremainsdust-andfiber-free.

Moisturefromcondensationisaprobleminanycoldor airhandlingsystem.Itcanleadtosystemfailure, call-backs,energywaste,evenmoldandbuildingclosings.Noteveryinsulationisengineeredfortheseapplications.Onlyaclosed-cellmateriallikeAPArmaflexelastomericfoamisspecificallydesignedtopreventtheseproblems.

Energy Efficient insulation WITHOUT the Risk of FibersMaintainingafiber-free,particle-freeairstreamisanespeciallyimportantcleanairstrategyforhealthcarefacilities.Infact,theAmericanInstituteofArchitectscurrentlyspecifiesthatfibrousglassductlinernotbeusedincertainhealthcareHVACsystems.

AP Armaflex®

World’sMOSTSPECIFIEDclosedcellelastomericfoamforinsulatingchilledwaterandrefrigerationpipingandair handlingsystems

Thebestchoiceforinsulationistheonethatlaststhelongest,providesthebestlongtermefficiency,and,mostimportant,helpsprotecttheindoorairenvironment.

TheCausesandConsequencesofMoistureIntrusion

Moisturecanintrudeintoachilledwatersystemin severalways:

•Ifthesystemisunder-insulated.Thiswillcausethewatervaportocondenseonthepipesurfacebecausethetemperaturefallsbelowthedewpoint,orpoint ofsaturation.

•Ifaninsulationisimproperlysealed.

•Ifanopencellinsulation’svaporretarderispuncturedortorn,whichwillallowmoisturetopenetrateandwickthroughouttheentiresystem.

Theprimaryconsequenceofmoistureintrusion,inadditiontolossofthermalperformanceandenergywaste,isthattheinsulationandthepipesorductscanbecomebreedinggroundsformoldspores.Moldcangrowunseenbehindwallsandinplenumsduetowetpipesorwetinsulation.Thesporeseasilyspread,moresoifpresentinairhandlingsystems.InfestationhascausedschoolandbuildingclosingsthroughouttheU.S.andcostlylitigationformanyintheconstructionindustry. Therightclosed-cellinsulationisthebestprevention.

OtherIAQConsiderationswithInsulation

Insulationmaterialscanhelp(orhinder)IAQinitiativesinotherwaysaswell:

•Theinsulationshouldbenon-particulatingsoit doesn’tbecomeirritatingforbuildingoccupantsover thelongterm.

•Likemoreandmoreinteriorbuildingproductsandfinishes,itshouldbelow-emitting,withlowVOCsandnegligibleoff-gassing.

•Itshouldbeeasytoclean,especiallyifusedasductliner,andrelativelydust-freeanddirt-free.

APArmaflexmeetsthesecriteriaandmore.

Mold requires three key conditions: Moisture, a food source and the right temperatures.

•Condensation can provide sufficient moisture for mold spores to germinate. Wet pipes or wet insulation can contribute enough moisture for mold growth in existing buildings.

•Mold needs little more than dust and dirt as food sources – or the cellulose kraft paper in many vapor jackets on open cell insulation materials.

•The final primary requirement, 40°F to 100°F temperature, is nearly always present inside buildings, so the other two factors must be controlled.

AP Armaflex is the only closed cell foam insulation made with Microban® antimicrobial product protection to prevent mold on the insulation. It is EPA Registered for ductwork–including in hospitals, schools and dormitories!

TheValueofClosedCellProtectionTheoptimum,preferredinsulationtopreventmoistureintrusionhasaclosedcellstructure.Themost-frequentlyselectedotheroptionhasbeenopencellinsulation,whichrequiresaseparatevaporretarderthatcanfailthemomentit’spuncturedortorn.Asinglebreakintheretardercaneventuallyresultinmoisturewickingthroughouttheopencellmaterial,renderingitineffectiveandcompromisingtheentireinsulationsystem.

Unlikeopencellinsulationswithseparatevaporretarders,closed-cellelastomericfoamsliketheoriginalAPArmaflexintubes,sheets,rollsorpatentedDuctLiner,havethevaporretarderbuilt-in.Theclosed-cellstructurepreventsthetransferenceofmoistureandthemulti-layeredstructureofclosed-wallcellscan’tbecompromisedbysurfacepuncturesortears.Wickingcannotoccurinclosedcellinsulationswhenproperlyinstalled.

Therehavebeennumerousstudiesthatsupportthecaseforclosed-cell,elastomericfoamoveropencellandcellulous-basedproductswhenitcomestomoldprevention.

AccordingtotheApril2004ASHRAEJournal,“Porous materials such as internal fibrous glass liner have been identified as a major source of fungal contamination.”Thesamearticlereferencesastudyinwhichfungalgrowthonfiberglassliningswasfoundin92%of150officebuildingsinMinnesotawithIAQproblems.

Basedonthesefacts,manyexpertsrecommendreplacingfibrousglasslinerswithmaterialsthatarelesslikelytoencouragefungalgrowth(i.e.closed-cellfoaminsulation)inareaswherehumidityislikelytoexceed70%.

Anincreasingnumberofhospitals,schools,universitiesandotherfacilitiesseekingbetterIAQhavemadethesamedecision,replacingexistingopencellinsulationwithelastomericfoam,notonlyforitsmold-resistantproperties,butitsfiber-free,non-particulatingconstruction.

PracticeofCondensationControl•Maintainthesurfacetemperatureabovethedewpoint.

•Selectclosedcellinsulation:Armaflexistheclosedcellelastomericinsulationinventedto preventcondensation,moistureintrusionandlossofthermalk.

•UsetheArmacellArmWin™programtocalculatetheinsulationthicknessneededtomaintain thesurfacetemperatureabovethedewpointtemperature.

Waterbury Schools Replace Damaged Open Cell Duct Insulation with Closed Cell Elastomeric Foam

Whenductcleanersdiscoveredwet,moldy,and/orheavilydamagedfibrousinsulationinseveralschoolsinWaterbury,CT,closedcellAPArmaflexDuctLinerwasselectedforreplacement.

WaterburyschoolsusedAPArmaflexclosedcellelastomericductlinertoreplacetheopencelllinerintheairhandlingunits.Thedecisionwasbasedonthestrongrecommen-dationofJimChoquette,SeniorProjectMangerofDuctandVentCleaningofAmerica,Inc.

“It’s just easier to work with. It doesn’t break up inside of the unit so we’re not getting call backs after three or four years.” saidChoquette.

Self-Adhering AP Armaflex is the ONLY Choice for Demanding Hospital HVAC Renovation

Hospitalsposespecialchallengeswhenitcomestorepairingandrenovatingairsystems.Maintainingdecontaminatedairstreamsrequiresextraprecaution,particularlywhenfibrousmaterialsarebeingremovedfromairhandlingequipment.Remarkably,CochraneVentilation,Inc.metthesechallengeswithoutonceinterruptingnormalhospitaloperationduringalargeHVACrenovationatCaritasGoodSamaritanMedicalCenterinBoston,Massachusetts.

Armaflex was selected because it meets NFPA Standard 90-A, and because it comes in sheets with a self-adhesive backing that does not emit odors typically associated with other glues. While similar products are available, many do not meet

Fiber-Free Insulation and IAQ are high priorities for Pennsylvania High School

Longevityofproductsandequipmentisalwaysacon-cernforschoolsundergoingrenovation.InthecaseofCumberlandValleyHighSchoolinMechanicsburg,PA,thatconcernwasheightened,largelybecauseofwhattheschooldistricthadenduredoverthepastdecadeasare-sultofasbestosremoval.Itwasthisexperiencethatledtheschoolboardtoaspiretomakethehighschoola“fiber-freezone”.

Partofthatdecisiontogo“fiber-free”includedtheselectionofAPArmaflexclosed-cellelastomericfoaminsulationforpipingandductworkthroughouttheschool.

code for smoke generation and flame spread, says Charles Cochrane.

“While there are products that supposedly meet code, our experience with Armaflex and Armacell’s outstanding product support makes us reluctant to try something else,” said Mr. Cochrane.

HospitalsandSchoolsReplaceInsulationwithAPArmaflexAnincreasingnumberofhospitals,schoolsanduniversitiesseekingbetterIAQhavedecidedtoreplaceexistingopencellinsulationwithAPArmaflexelastomericfoam,notonlyforitsmold-resistantproperties,butalsoitsfiber-free,non-particulatingconstruction.

Inhibits growth of Mold and MildewMinimizesmoistureintrusion,thefirstrequirementformoldgrowth

•Superior0.05Water-VaporTransmissionFactor

•MadewithMicrobanantimicrobialproductprotection,recognizedworldwide.

Provides long-term Protection: No fragile vapor jacket

•Thevaporretarderisbuilt-in

•Multi-layeredclosedwallcellscan’tbecompromisedbysurfacepuncturesorrips

•Withstandsabuseduringinstallation:Can’tbeinadvertentlydamagedbytheinstallerorothertrades.

•Keepsworking:Standsuptoongoingmaintenanceworkafterbuildingoccupancy

•Helpspreventcallbacks,productreplacementanddisruptivefacilityclosings

Provides many other IAQ Benefits:

•Fiber-free:Won’taddfiberstotheairstream

•Clean:Dust-free,dirt-free,non-particulating– spacescanremainoccupiedduringrenowork

•Formaldehyde-free:Alwayshasbeen!

• Low VOCs:Plus,nooff-gassing,whichmeans fasterbuildingoccupancy

•Environmentally friendly manufacturing:NoCFCs orHCFCs

Plus...Superior Energy Savings

•0.25 thermak K

AP Armaflex:BestSolutiontoMold,theRightAnswerforIAQ

APArmaflexAssuranceSystemYourpeace-of-mindassurancethatAPArmaflexismadetothestrictestquality,technicalperformanceandenvironmentallyfriendlystandards.

ISO Registration: EnsuresthatallArmacellmanufacturingfacilitiesconsistentlymeetcustomerrequirements...bymanagingallprocesseswithongoingqualityassessments.

Factory Mutual Approval Guide:Ensuresconsistentperformancetopublishedvaluesbymonitoring:

•FirePerformance–FMpipechasetest,Flammabilitytest,UnitedBuildingCode(UBC)26-3RoomTest

•WVT–ASTME96

•ThermalConductivity–ASTMC518

Formaldehyde-Free:EnsuresthatAPArmaflexisa low-emittingproduct.ItisalsolowVOC.

ClosedCellAPArmaflexforColdSystems:Addingvalue,creatingbetteroutcomesforEngineers,OwnersandBuildingOccupants!

TrainingInstallerstoEnsureQuality

Asmarketleader,ArmacellhasproducedandwidelydistributedthefirstcomprehensiveEnglishandSpanishinstallationguideonDVDatnocostforinsulationcontractorsandinstallers.TheDVDisonewayArmacellworksto ensurethatAPArmaflexapplicationsperformasdesignedandspecified. Wealsoconductfieldapplicationdemonstrationsandtrainingforcontracting firmsnationwide.

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