Plant Inspection & Maintainance

Properly designed and installed insulation systems should normally require little maintenance. However, there are instances when maintenance and maintenance inspections are necessary.

Generally, reinsulation after mechanical repairs is performed in the same manner as the original installation unless:

• The nature of the damage to the insulation indicates that the system was not insulated properly (i.e. flashings need to be used where spills and leaks occur, greater thicknesses are necessary where condensation occurs, expansion joints may be indicated where large cracks or gaps occur, etc.), or
• The materials originally used are now outdated.

Care should be taken in removal of existing insulation materials as many may be reapplied or reused. Preformed and prefabricated covers for valves, fittings, etc., can be carefully removed and salvaged. Temporary protection should be provided to adjacent insulations to prevent damage while repairs are underway.

The major concern in maintenance of high or low temperature insulations is promptness in discovering and reinsulating to avoid costly heat loss or eventual destruction of the total system. For this reason, periodic inspections should be conducted to detect the following: