Insulation for Ventilation and Air Conditioning

The factors that determine whether water vapour condensation forms on the duct are: The surface temperature of the duct, the ambient air temperature, and relative humidity. To prevent condensation on the insulation surface, the duct needs to be insulated so that the surface temperature of the insulation is higher than the dew point of the surrounding air.

PAROC® products are available with a reinforced, water‑vapour‑resistant aluminium foil facing, offered as AluCoat or BlackCoat. When correctly installed and sealed with PAROC® tapes, the facing forms a continuous water-vapour-barrier with airtight joints, without the need for additional gluing, enabling protection against condensation.

Passive fire protection is required when ventilation ducts pass through fire-rated walls or floors, where the integrity of fire compartments must be maintained. Proper fire insulation helps prevent the spread of fire and smoke and ensure that building elements retain their designed fire resistance. PAROC® vect passive fire protection solutions are designed for ventilation ducts penetrating walls and floors, and help preserve fire-resistant compartments. The solutions are fire-tested according to EN 1366-1 and classified according to EN 13501-3, providing proven fire resistance for HVAC duct applications.

When tested to EN 13501-1, PAROC® products offer the highest fire class either Euroclass A1 or A2-s1,d0. Our stone wool insulation products are non-combustible. They do not burn or contribute to fire spread. They will not produce any smoke or very limited amount of smoke, nor do they produce flaming droplets. The softening temperature of stone wool products is *over 1000°C. The fire performance of stone wool does not deteriorate with high temperatures, nor with time.

Ducts that transport warm and cold air require good thermal insulation. If the cool or warm air is heated or cooled by the surrounding air, the HVAC system will function less effectively, resulting in heat transfer.

PAROC® insulation products with low thermal conductivity* and high thermal resistance can contribute to limited heat loss or gain, and temperature changes, which in turn can lead to lower and more efficient energy use and reduced operating costs.

*Please consult the respective local product data sheet for more information.

Ventilation systems often transfer noise from one room to another as the air flows through them, which can disturb the occupants of the building. As a result, insulation that's applied to the outside and inside of ventilation systems may help to reduce this noise. 

Tests carried out in accordance with EN 1609 and EN 13472 indicate that PAROC® products, in the normal application and with correct finish, should not absorb or store moisture. The water absorption of PAROC® stone wool solutions is far below the required value of 1 kg/m2.