Insulation Thickness: What’s Right for You?

Determining the right insulation blanket thickness for your application depends on a range of factors—ambient temperature, air flow velocity, material, emissivity, and more—and it’s not always obvious what level of thickness you need. While 1-inch blanket thickness typically suffices for most insulation applications, blankets can vary in thickness from ½ of an inch to 4 inches. Within that range, how do you know what’s right for you?

"It really comes down to the customer's concern,” says Brett Herman, Firwin's vice-president of engineering and customer service. "1-inch thick insulation is standard, and more than sufficient for most applications. If a customer has a particular need, be it keeping in as much heat as possible, or minimizing outer touch temperature or the heat in a room to a point below what a standard 1-inch blanket would accomplish, then we would look into thicker insulation.”

Thicker insulation, such as a 2-inch thick blanket, is more appropriate for power generation in prime power applications, where the engine is running constantly. With backup power applications, which only run periodically, 1-inch insulation is the norm.

Because each application must be evaluated on an individual basis, always seek professional advice. To learn more about insulation thickness levels and how to select what’s right for you, check our FAQ (see below) or contact Firwin today.

Insulation Blanket Thickness Tips: http://www.firwin.com/pdf/firwin-faq-insulation-thickness.pdf