NCMI Blog

The benefits of mechanical insulation—including saving money, reducing energy use, and protecting personnel—are well known. But there are many equipment components that never see those benefits because they are tricky to insulate.

The problem is all too common. Valves, flanges, pumps, and other mechanical components either go uninsulated, or the insulation is torn off when workers need to access those areas.

Luckily, a simple solution ensures your facility receives all of the cost-saving, energy-saving, and protection that mechanical insulation provides. Removable insulation covers and removable insulation jacketing are custom-made to fit your equipment’s exact specifications. The fact that your equipment is a weird shape is no longer an excuse not to insulate!

With removable insulation covers, accessing equipment is as simple as undoing a strap. Few or no tools are required, and the cover can be quickly and easily re-installed by facility personnel once the work is complete.

This thermal photo demonstrates exactly what removable insulation covers are capable of. The outside temperature of the removable cover is about 90 degrees F, while the valve is over 350 degrees F!

This photo was taken at a manufacturing plant in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Read more about the project here.

Benefits of Removable Insulation Covers

• Reduce energy costs by insulating equipment components
• Easily enable periodic maintenance, inspection, and repair
• Extend the life of equipment and machinery
• Improve workplace safety
• Prevent the waste of other forms and methods of insulation that would need to be torn off and replaced

Applications for Removable Insulation Covers

• Hot
• Cold
• Anti-freeze
• Sound attenuation

Areas to Insulate with Removable Insulation Covers

• Valves
  • Butterfly valves
  • Control valves
  • Gate valves
  • Globe valves
  • Plug valves
  • Pressure-reducing valves
• Flanges
• Strainers
• Filters
• Pumps
• Flow meters
• Whole piping systems
• Turbines
• Exchangers
• Sound attenuators
• Exhaust systems
• Steam traps

North Country Mechanical Insulators manufactures custom removable insulation covers for areas where traditional insulation isn’t practical. One of the most effective ways to determine whether your facility has areas that can benefit from removable insulation covers is through an insulation energy appraisal. Energy appraisals calculate the energy and dollars a facility or process is losing with its current insulation system, so you can make informed decisions about how to update your insulation.