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 Refrigerant line insulation installation
for air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigeration equipment
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Guide to proper installation of insulation on refrigerant piping: why is refrigerant piping insulation needed, what problems occur if the insulation is incomplete, missing, crimped, or otherwise improperly installed, and how do we fix these problems.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Proper Method for Installing Insulation on Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Refrigeration Lines & Condensate Drains
 Avoid gaps and missing insulation along the refrigeration lines
Proper placement and securing of insulation on air conditioner or heat pump refrigeration lines is important to avoid condensation leaks into the building. One, or on some systems both refrigeration lines can be cool or cold under some operating conditions.
The cold copper tubing in contact with warm humid air causes moisture in the air to condense onto and then drip off of the refrigration lines.
The result can be leaks into the building, as our photo at left illustrates.
Missing or damaged refrigerant line insulation insulation on the refrigerant lines, particularly on the larger suction line, will cause condensation and
drips from the lines in humid areas.
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In our photo at above left where refrigerant line insulation is incomplete, the drip stains on the attic floor may well indicate a point at which leak stains or even mold appear on the ceiling below.
In our photo at left none of the refrigerant lines are insulated where they emerge from the building wall. If the lines were also uninsulated within the wall, depending on their location and the wall's dew point properties, a condensation, leak, mold, rot, or insect problme can ensue.
We have seen very costly building damage where lines were not properly insulated indoors: condensate
drips wet gypsum board walls, leading to a costly mold remediation project.
Missing refrigerant line insulation also may increase system operating
cost or in addition to a condensation worry, uninsulated high pressure refrigerant lines may result in unwanted heat transmission into some building areas. |
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 At left we illustrate a neat insulation job visible on the outdoor portion of refrigerant piping for a split system ductless air conditioner installlation.
According to McQuay International, a large producer of refrigeration equipment,
Suction lines are cold – 40°F (4.4°C) SST – and cause condensation, even in conditioned spaces. In
addition, any heat that enters the refrigerant adds to the superheat and reduces system efficiency.
For these reasons, suction lines should be insulated with a vapor proof insulation. This is a
requirement of many building codes. Rubratex is the most common form of refrigerant line
insulation.
Liquid lines generally are insulated. They are warm to hot (110°F (43.3°C) for air-cooled). If liquid
lines pass through a space that is warmer than the refrigerant (i.e. the roof of a building at roof
level), or if they could be considered hot enough to pose a safety risk, then insulation should be
added.
Discharge lines are generally uninsulated. They may be very hot, in excess of 150°F (66°C), so
insulation may be warranted as a safety consideration, or if the heat loss from the discharge gas line
would be considered objectionable to the space.
Hot gas bypass lines should be insulated, especially if the runs are long or if the piping is exposed to
cold temperatures.
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Do Not Compress Insulation on A/C or Heat Pump Refrigeration Lines
 The same split system air conditioner installer we described above at A/C Condensate Disposal for Split System Air Conditioners violated the manufacturer's recommendations against compressing the insulation on the refrigerant lines - one more picky issue that we decided to let go since the wall was to be insulated with blown-in foam.
But he made the same mistake on the insulation on the refrigeration lines and condensate drain where they extend outdoors between the building wall and the compressor/condenser unit.
Our photographs illustrate that the importance of not compressing refrigeration line insulation is no joke. In our photo at below left, notice those drip stains below the condensate lines at each location where the insulation was compressed by a too-tight plastic tie?
And in the two photos at below right, notice the incomplete insulation on the refrigeration line? It leaves me worried about condensation and water accumulation inside the wall cavity as well. Since I know this installer is not stupid we're left thinking he has a bit of contempt for his customers, or a limited concept of workmanship.
Imagine that same dripping and accumulation of water where the installer made the same mistake in a fiberglass-batt insulated wall or a wall or ceiling inside which the dew point may be reached on the refrigeration lines? The accumulation of water in a building cavity is asking for a costly mold, insect, or rot damage problem later on.
Missing insulation on the refrigeration lines outdoors is not a catastrophe - at least for a short un such as at this split system compressor/condenser unit. Perhaps a little loss in efficiency of the system operation in some weather conditions. On a long refrigeration line run, say between an attic air handler and a ground level compressor/condenser, the effects may be more significant.
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 We removed the leaky, incomplete, and ugly squashed insulation on the refrigeration lines for this system (above left), replacing the squashed foam insulating tubing with new insulation (above right).
Incidentally, just clipping off the old plastic wire ties to "release" the squashed refrigerant line foam insulation won't work: after a few months the insulating foam remains permanently squashed, as you can see in our photo at left.
We paid particular attention to sealing and insulating the refrigeration line at the exit point from the building wall, reducing the chances of leaks into the wall at that point. To keep the refrigeration line insulation in place you can still use a plastic tie if you like - just don't tighten it so far as to squash the insulation.
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 The manufaturer (Sanyo) recommends covering the foam insulation on the refrigeration line with weatherproof tape which we did at the end of this job.
I admit that we "over-designed" the final insulation job shown in our last photo with that extra layer of foam that surrounds both lines, as we used more thickness of insulation than necessary.
We did so to end with a neat, weather-protected job that, combined with the application of black weatherproof tape, should last for a long time.
Notice that the aluminum or plastic ties used to hold components in place were left loose - we did not squash the new refrigerant line insulation, and we made sure it was continuous, neat, and protected from the weather.
A neat installation takes what, maybe five minutes longer than a sloppy one, but it took about an hour to buy the replacement refrigerant line insulation, remove the original sloppy installation, and do the job right the second time.
Protect outdoor refrigerant line insulation from the weather
Manufacturers also recommend wrapping the insulated refrigerant lines exposed to outdoor weather, using an appropriate weatherproof tape. |
Interior Leaks On & In Wall Below a Split System Air Conditioner Wall-Mounted Unit Traced to Missing Insulation
 Watch out: The split system air conditioner installer we described at A/C Condensate Disposal for Split System Air Conditioners violated the manufacturer's recommendations against compressing the insulation on the refrigerant lines not just outside or in the walls, but also inside the wall-mounted unit itself. During the first season of use of the newly-installed Sanyo split system air conditioner the building occupants noticed water stains and rippled wall paint extending down the wall below the indoor air handler cooling unit.
Our photo (left) shows where the refrigerant lines rise in the wall to enter the wall-mounted half of the split system air conditioner (that larger white area below the left end of the unit) and the blue tape marks where we first saw condensate water dripping from the unit.
On inspection we ran the air conditioner for an hour or so on a hot humid day, then inspected the wall surface for moisture. Simply touching or pressing on the plastic bottom of the wall-mounted cooling unit sent a cascade of water droplets down the building wall interior surface.
We gave our A/C installer a call and asked for help. To his credit, the tech came immediately to the job site. Disassembling and inspecting the indoor cooling unit by removing its plastic cover and then lifting it carefully away from the wall mounting bracket (watch out to avoid bending refrigerant lines and causing a refrigerant leak), he found that there was no insulation whatsoever on the refrigeration lines that ran horizontally along the rear bottom of the unit. The result was condensation on the refrigeration lines that did not drip into the unit's condensate tray but rather fell into the plastic bottom where water leaked out onto and into the building wall.
The condensate tray in a wall-mounted split system air conditioner or heat pump unit is designed to catch water condensing on the cooling coils, directing it to a drip pan and then to the condensate drain line. But depending on routing of the refrigerant lines, these may provide another source of condensation that does not fall into the tray.
The "fix" for this condensate leak was the installation of foam insulation along the refrigerant lines inside the unit, from their point of exit from the building interior wall surface to their point of connection to the cooling coil. The leak was stopped.
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
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 Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
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Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & Android smart phones.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
- Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- HVAC brands discussed here include but are not limited to: Lennox, American Standard, Amana, Everrest, Goodman, Frigidaire, Coleman and Gibson. Brands of related air handling equipment
include Honeywell, Aprilaire, White-Rogers, Broan. Nutone, Fantech, Venmar, Arzel, Hi-Velocity, Vanguard, Wirsbo, Weil McLain, Unico, Heat Link, A.O. Smith, Water Furnace, ClimateMaster, Geo-Excel, Command Aire, Friedrich, LG, Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Hart &
Cooley, Munchkin, Superstor Ultra, Lochinvar and Knight HVAC equipment.
- HVAC Employment: U.S. Department of Labor website describes HVAC jobs and the employment outlook for HVAC technicians.
- HVAC Education, Training Accreditation agencies: Quoting the U.S. DOL HVAC website above::
After completing the programs below, new technicians generally need between 6 months to 2 years of field experience before they are considered proficient. Three accrediting agencies have set academic standards for HVACR programs:
- HVAC Excellence. 1701 Pennsylvania Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20006 Tel: (800) 394-5268. Quoting:
HVAC Excellence is a not for profit organization that has been serving the HVACR industry since 1994. It is our goal to improve competency through validation of the technical education process. By setting standards and verifying that they have been met, we inspire the industry to excel. We know that all of the challenges that face our industry are achievable by continuous improvement in the way that we prepare technicians.
- National Center for Construction Education and Research, 3600 NW 43rd Street, Bldg. G, Gainesville, FL 32606, Tel: 888.622.3720, Quoting:
NCCER is a not-for-profit education foundation created to develop industry-driven standardized craft training programs with portable credentials and help address the critical workforce shortage facing the construction industry.
- The Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Accreditation, (PAHRA)
2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22201-3001
(703) 524-8800, Quoting: The Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA) is an independent, third party organization that is a partnership between heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) educators and the HVACR industry that will award accreditation to programs that have met and/or exceeded industry validated standards. This programmatic accreditation program is the only one that is supported by the major industry associations.
Licensure. Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers are required to be licensed by some States and localities. Requirements for licensure vary greatly, but all States or localities that require a license have a test that must be passed. The contents of these tests vary by State or locality, with some requiring extensive knowledge of electrical codes and others focusing more on HVACR-specific knowledge. Completion of an apprenticeship program or 2 to 5 years of experience are also common requirements.
In addition, all technicians who purchase or work with refrigerants must be certified in their proper handling. To become certified to purchase and handle refrigerants, technicians must pass a written examination specific to the type of work in which they specialize. The three possible areas of certification are: Type I—servicing small appliances; Type II—high-pressure refrigerants; and Type III—low-pressure refrigerants. Exams are administered by organizations approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, such as trade schools, unions, contractor associations, or building groups.
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HVAC Training Courses, Schools: HVAC Technician Training Schools [http://technicianschool.net/hvac-technician-training-schools/], lists thefollowing schools offering technical courses may offer specific training programs for potential careers, including HVAC technicians. Among HVAC schools that website lists are
- Everest Colleges [http://www.everest.edu],
- Florida Career College
7891 Pines Blvd
Hollywood, FL 33024
http:// www.careercollege.edu/,
- Lincoln Institute
2299 Vauxhall Road
Union, NJ 07083
http:// www.lincolnedu.com/
- NOTE: when considering an HVAC training course or school, check the HVAC education accrediting associations listed above.
- [1] "Air Conditioning & Refrigeration I & II", BOCES Education, Warren Hilliard (instructor), Poughkeepsie, New York, May - July 1982, [classroom notes from air conditioning and refrigeration maintenance and repair course attended by the website author]
- [2] Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, A. D. Althouse, C.H. Turnquist, A. Bracciano, Goodheart-Willcox Co., 1982
- [3] Principles of Refrigeration, R. Warren Marsh, C. Thomas Olivo, Delmar Publishers, 1979
- [4] "Air Conditioning & Refrigeration I & II", BOCES Education, Warren Hilliard (instructor), Poughkeepsie, New York, May - July 1982, [classroom notes from air conditioning andRefrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, 5th Ed., William C. Whitman, William M. Johnson, John Tomczyk, Cengage Learning, 2005, ISBN 1401837654, 9781401837655 1324 pages
- [5] "Falling Air-Conditioners Rattle Tenants", Chris Palmer, The New York Times, 2 July 2012, p. A12.
- [6] Refrigerant Piping Design Guide, Application Guide AG-31-011, McQuay Air Conditioning, Daikin McQuay International Equipment, 13600 Industrial Park Blvd.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55441
800-432-1342 (Toll Free), Website: http://www.daikinmcquay.com/, [Copy on file as http://www.inspectapedia.com/aircond/AC_Guide_McQuay.pdf ]
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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- Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- Complete List of Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Design, Inspection, Repair Books at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
- Ratib Bakera is member of Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES), an International
training organization for the HVACR industry provides educational and certification programs to HVACR professionals of all experience levels. www.rses.org provides information on the organization and its training materials. Independent testing and certification of HVAC technicians is provided by North American Technician Excellence - NATE - see www.natex.org.
NATE is supported by ASHRAE, the US EPA, and a host of other trade and professional associations.
- Singer brand HVAC equipment brand history: Singer was bought by & became the climate control unit of Dallas-based Snyder General Corp. (founded by a former Singer HVAC manager) in 1982. The name Singer was dropped in 1984. In 1984 Snyder General operations included Arcoaire, Comfortmaker, and McQuay. In 1991 Snyder General sold Arcoaire & Comfortmaker to Inter-City Products. In 1994 Snyder General was acquired by Hong Leong Group Malaysia. Snyder General is at 2001 Ross Avenue Dallas, TX 75201.
- Lennox air conditioning and heat pump owners manuals for air conditioners, air handlers, furnaces, heat pumps, indoor air quality systems, packaged units, water heaters, zone controls and other controls such as thermostats, are provided by Lennox at http://www.lennox.com/support/manuals.asp
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