Only a professionally manufactured insulated pipe will maximize the efficiency of an outdoor wood furnace system by keeping heat losses to a minimum. By effectively heating the house (not the ground), less fuel is required, less wood is burned producing less emissions. Whatever your budget, you simply can’t afford not to install PEX-Flex! Supplied in coils, this 2-in1 (supply and return bundled together) pipe is economical, simple to install and highly effective even in harsh soil conditions.
PEX-Flex is
“self-compensating” with respect to expansion and contraction … just uncoil and snake into trench, then backfill. The pipe installs quickly and easily without solvent welding, special tools or heavy equipment resulting in a lower installed cost when compared to other insulating methods. No drainage tile, gravel fill or deep/wide trench required. PEX-Flex can be shallow buried even in high water table areas. The flexible nature of coiled PEX-Flex all but eliminates the need for joints, elbows and fittings making it a true seamless pipe system.
The PEX-Flex carrier pipe is made of plastic cross linked polyethylene (PEX) with EVAL coating which keeps oxygen from penetrating the pipe wall. The PEX is surrounded by a factory applied layer of closed cell, eco-friendly polyurethane foam – the best insulation material on the market. The whole package is encased in a tough but flexible extruded polyethylene jacket with UV stabilizer.
The pipe system is
bonded … meaning the carrier pipe(s), insulation and jacket are mechanically linked to one another and move collectively during expansion/contraction. This also isolates a moisture problem to damaged area should the jacket be punctured … water cannot migrate through entire pipe system.
All PEX-Flex pipe comes equipped with a “smart” membrane between the outer casing and the insulation. This leak proof diffusion barrier prevents (cyclopentane) gas in the foam from escaping through the jacket and being replaced by atmospheric air which has inferior insulating properties – a process called “aging”. This keeps the operating performance high throughout the entire service life of the pipe.
PEX-Flex is manufactured by Logstor of Denmark, the world’s largest producer of pre-insulated pipe systems employing over 1300 people in 8 production facilities. Logstor has over 30 years experience of pre-insulating flexible PEX tubing. Urecon Ltd. distributes Logstor products throughout Canada and the US.
The Payback:
Installing PEX-Flex actually pays for itself over time*, and you're also helping to do your part to reduce emissions.
The expected yearly savings is approximately 1 1/2 cords of wood based on the following assumptions:
- An average cord of wood yields 24 million BTU's (7 MW/hr).
- The trench from the furnace to the building(s) is approximately 100 ft (30 m) long.
- The payback is based on a comparison to bare or poorly insulated piping systems. These inferior systems may be the result of using materials with insufficient insulating properties, inadequate insulation thickness, or may simply be insulation that absorbed moisture due to water ingress through the jacket or joints.
* Individual payback times will vary relative to the severity and length of the heating season.
