Does Insulation Cause Corrosion?
By Ronald L. King The many aspects of corrosion under insulation (CUI) have been debated for years. Does mechanical insulation cause corrosion or help prevent corrosion, or is it just an innocent bystander in the debate? I am by no means a corrosion specialist or an insulation technical guru, but I do take a practical approach to addressing the primary question. This article will explore the practical aspects of the debate and, depending on your point of view, contribute to the debate. I am convinced the debate will not be resolved with this article, but I hope it will make you think about insulation differently when examining CUI. Corrosion under insulation can be extremely bad because it is often hidden. When it becomes noticeable, the consequences are usually bad and potentially unexpected. When I hear someone indicate the problem was unexpected, I really don’t understand their comment. It reminds me of the old saying: “out of sight, out of mind.” It may not have been expected at th
