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There is zero tube insulation on the AC line on the roof of my condo. The line appears to be made of two different pipes welded together of different diameters.

Total pipe length outside is about ten feet long. 1 foot of pipe leading inside the home is 3/4 inches, while the rest of the 9 feet of outside exposed pipe is about 1/2", or 9/16", or 5/8" (hard to tell, even with an adjustable wrench to measure).

What size AC line insulation tubing do I buy? I'm looking at buying elastomeric pipe insulation and securing it with UV tape.

isherwood
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David Reed
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2 Answers2

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Insulation that's too small leaves a gap in coverage. Insulation that's too large leaves a gap between it and the pipe that allows air (and therefore energy) to escape. Both result in substantially diminished performance.

Buy the insulation that fits the pipe, even if that means several sizes, or create the right size by custom fitting it. Insulation can be installed in several pieces if it's pressed tight together and secured well in contact with the pipe.

isherwood
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Most important is to keep them apart. They run at different temperatures.

The thiner one is the compressor outlet (cold line) going to the heat exchanger in the home. the thicker one is heat exchanger return going to the outdoor fan (hot)

DIY75
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