Industrial insulation contractors strive to ensure that the insulation stays dry throughout the entire installation process. Contractors often lament that, when bad weather hits, this effort can stop an installation job in its tracks, forcing installers to urgently tarp any exposed insulation. For contractors who are up against tight deadlines and even tighter budgets, this can be both an inefficient and costly use of time.
That's why Johns Manville Industrial Insulation Group (JM IIG) recently re-engineered its calcium silicate to resist water. In August, JM IIG released Thermo-1200â¢, the first globally available, water-resistant calcium silicate. Thermo-1200 is a Type I calcium silicate insulation designed to shed water. Over the course of 20-30 minutes in a moderate rainstorm, most of the water will bead on the surface of the insulation without penetrating into the substrate.
Jack Bittner, the senior product manager for JM IIG, explained Thermo-1200 has the potential to be highly beneficial for contractors. "Historically, contractors have had to cover calcium silicate insulation immediately after it has been installed to protect it from any potential rainfall or moisture. This practice can have wide-reaching implications on the jobsite that drive up costs and reduce installation efficiency," he said. According to Bittner, this is where water-resistant Thermo-1200 can be advantageous, as it can give contractors more time and flexibility to install the jacketing than has traditionally been available with calcium silicate installations.
Notably, Thermo-1200 still offers the same performance features as Thermo-12® Gold (JM IIG's former calcium silicate insulation) at every turn. This means it also still has the XOX Corrosion Inhibitor®. Even if water penetrates the water-resistant surface, the corrosion inhibitors will still activate to help protect the steel surface from corrosion under insulation (CUI). By coupling the water resistance of Thermo-1200 with the corrosion-inhibiting performance of the XOX Corrosion Inhibitor, the insulation not only sheds water but is also one of the least corrosive industrial insulations available (per ASTM C1617). In the constant battle against CUI in industrial facilities, this can be an incredibly valuable asset.
It's critical to understand, however, that "water resistant" is not the same thing as hydrophobic. A hydrophobic insulation will not absorb water, while Thermo-1200 may absorb some water under certain conditions. JM IIG found that, when tested for 20-30 minutes under conditions replicating 1.25 inches of rainfall/hour, Thermo-1200 absorbs less than 15 percent of its weight in water. Fifteen percent is important to keep in mind, as any time calcium silicate absorbs 20 percent or more of its weight in water, it should be removed and replaced (per ASTM C533). Naturally, this costs time and money.
Materials like Thermo-1200 can help avoid this potential pitfall, improving efficiency on the jobsite and mitigating the impact of inclement weather during the installation process.
For more information about Thermo-1200, visit www.jm.com/thermo-1200.
