Hi All,
The foam rubber insulation on the bigger (cold one) copper line from the compressor to the house, has deteriorated from the sun and weather. Would like to replace it. It's about 2'.
Is there a special requirement for this insulation, or can a hot water line insulation be used? This is the stuff commonly found at HD or similar. It does not look quite the same, as what's on there already.
Regards,
RichK
It'll work, just won't hold up as well to weather. You can get the denser stuff at HVAC or plumbing supply.
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Polyurethane foam (like kids' pool noodles) won't hold up to UV exposure.
The black rubber foam is good for 10-20 years outdoors. At Home Depot, at least around here.
Go to one of the do it yourself places and tell them what you need because it's made specific for outdoor, in the sun and heat use.
I'm glad you asked, because I've got the same situation myself. I'll just piggyback off the answers given to you :)
Not that it matters in the slightest but the larger cold line is actually the suction from house to compressor.
Yes. I'm not sure that exposing a couple of feet of suction line will affect the efficiency so much, but it's normally insulated. Perhaps to keep it protected from the elements and reduce oxidation.
I can see that inside the house, the reason to insulate may be mostly to avoid dripping all over the place. Any heat absorbed by that line (inside the house) just adds to cooling and does not lower efficiency.
Regards,
RichK
The large line runs from the house to the compressor.
Heat going into the large line doesn't "add to the cooling", it actually detracts from it. Yes, heat going into the large line does reduce the efficiency.
You've got a bit to learn. The outdoor foam is designed to be used outdoors. Indoor pipe wrap isn't the same. That to learn, also.
It's special stuff, designed to be sunlight resistant. How about call a HVAC service company to do a clean and check, and put some foam on?
Beg to differ, even if I'm asking a silly quiestion about the foam. Any heat "going into the pipe" _from inside the house_, is extracted from the house. In that way, it adds to cooling. It may be cooling your basement and the living room, which is not what you want. But it's not a total waste.
Agree that heat going into the same pipe on the outside, reduces efficiency. Even if it's a fraction of a perent.
I'm sure I do. We all do :-)
Regards,
RichK
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