Frequently Asked Questions.
The growing energy crisis has resulted in the immediate need for energy conservation and more particularly the need to save electricity. The best energy conservation devices are passive as you don't have to remember to turn them on and/or off. Once your geyser and adjoining hot water pipes have been insulated you can leave them to do the saving.
Questions you should be asking……
Aren’t geysers already insulated; surely there is no need to insulate further?
The level of insulation inside most geyser jackets is not optimum, as in order to achieve the optimum insulation, they would have a larger diameter making access via a standard trap door impossible.
Will I make a saving when insulating my geyser?
A regular geyser consumes up to 35% of a households electricity and it is important to insulate your geyser and adjoining hot water pipes.
With an Isover Geyser Pack you can reduce your geysers electricity usage by up to 58% achieving a payback within 6 months and continued savings thereafter.
How is the performance of the geyser blanket measured?
All bulk insulation materials have a Thermal Resistance or R value which is a measure of their performance. The thermal resistance, R-value is the ability of the insulation to resist the transfer of energy in the form of heat and is the most important factor when selecting insulation. The higher the R-value the more effective the insulation.
The R-value should be visibly displayed on the packaging. When purchasing a geyser pack, compare R-values and ensure that you are getting the best “R-value” for your money.
Note: R-value is dependent on the thickness of the material and care must be taken not to compress the material when wrapping your geyser.
Must the pipes be insulated/wrapped as well?
According to SANS 10400-XA all pipes must be insulated to an R-value of 1.00, as the biggest energy saving is achieved by preventing the loss of heat from your hot water pipes. (See thermal image tab). It is a good rule to insulate at least 1m of the inlet pipe going into your geyser and all the outlet pipes going from the geyser. Not only does this prevent energy loss, but it also aids in the prevention of frozen pipes in your ceiling during cold winter periods.
The national standard "Energy Efficiency for Buildings" SANS 10400-XA has been published and South Africa is divided into six climatic zones according to their humidity and temperature variations. Legislation of insulation has been introduced for new buildings stipulating the minimum R-value required for ceilings/roofs in each climatic zone.
Why is it important that geyser blankets are non-combustible?
A geyser is an electrical appliance mostly hidden in the ceiling or a cupboard, therefore fire safety should be top of mind. Thus it is recommended that the geyser blanket you intend to purchase is non-combustible for complete peace of mind.
The Isover geyser blanket and pipes are non-combustible.
What are the health implications of working with a Geyser Pack?
It poses no health hazard, glasswool products are bio-soluble meaning they will dissolve in body fluid should they be ingested in any way. Glasswool is among the most widely tested and researched building materials in use today and has received an IARC Class 111 rating, by the World Health Organisation. This means glasswool is safer than many products in use today including coffee, pickled vegetables, diesel and petrol among others.
Glasswool may however cause a mechanical itch (similar to that caused by grass). It is advisable to wear gloves when installing the geyser pack. In the case of itching, wash the affected are with warm soapy water.
In summary, what do I need to know about geyser blankets and insulation?
1. Know the R-value of the product that you are installing.
2. Wrap the pipes as well, so that maximum energy saving is achieved.
3. Don’t allow the material to be compressed when installing.
4. Know the fire properties of all materials in the blanket and pipe covering.
The Isover Geyser Pack
Is a non-combustible, consisting of a (3,5 m x 1,2m) geyser blanket, 5m of snap-on pipe sections and adhesive tape. The flexible Glasswool blanket has a foil facing and achieves the required R-value ensuring that once the geyser and pipes are wrapped with our Geyser Pack, you can leave it to do the saving for you.