Designation: C 1290 – 00e1

Standard Specification for

Flexible Fibrous Glass Blanket Insulation Used to Externally
Insulate HVAC Ducts1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 1290; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

e1 NOTE—Section 12.3 was editorially revised and renumbered as section 13.3.

1. Scope C 390 Criteria for Sampling and Acceptance of Preformed

1.1 This specification covers the composition, size, dimen- Thermal Insulation Lots2
sions, and physical properties of flexible fiber glass blanket, C 411 Test Method for Hot-Surface Performance of High-
ductwrap, used to externally insulate HVAC ducts used for the Temperature Thermal Insulation2
distribution of condition air with a temperature up to 250°F C 518 Test Method for Steady-State Heat Flux Measure-
(121°C). ments and Thermal Transmission Properties by Means of
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded the Heat Flow Meter Apparatus2
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for C 665 Specification for Mineral-Fiber Blanket Thermal In-
information only and may be approximate. sulation for Light Frame Construction and Manufactured
1.3 When the installation and use of thermal insulation Housing2
materials, accessories, and systems may pose safety and health C 1104/1104M Test Method for Determining the Water
problems, the manufacturer shall provide the user appropriate Vapor Sorption of Unfaced Fiber Insulation2
current information regarding any known problems associated C 1136 Specification for Flexible, Low Permeance Vapors
with the recommended use of the company’s products, and Retarders for Thermal Insulation2
shall also recommend protective measures to be employed in C 1045 Practice for Calculating Thermal Transmission
their safe utilization. The user shall establish appropriate safety Properties from Steady-State Heat Flux Measurements2
and health practices and determine the applicability of regula- E 84 Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of
tory requirements prior to use. Buildings Materials3
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the E 96 Test Methods for Water Vapor Transmission of Mate-
test methods, Section 13, in this specification. This standard rials2
does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, 3. Terminology
associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this
standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices 3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms defined in this
and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior specification, see Terminology C 168.
to use. 4. Classification
2. Referenced Documents 4.1 Fibrous glass flexible blanket HVAC duct external
2.1 ASTM Standards: insulation consists of the following three types:
C 167 Test Methods for Thickness and Density of Blanket 4.1.1 Type I—Blankets without membrane facing.
or Batt Thermal Insulations2 4.1.2 Type II—Blankets faced with a vapor-retarder mem-
C 168 Terminology Relating to Thermal Insulating Materi- brane having a water vapor permeance no higher than 1.30
als2 Perm.
C 177 Test Method for Steady-State Heat Flux Measure- 4.1.3 Type III—Flexible blankets faced with a vapor-
ments and Thermal Transmission Properties by Means of retarder membrane with a water vapor permeance no higher
the Guarded-Hot-Plate Apparatus2 than 0.02 Perm that meet all physical property requirements of
Specification C 1136.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C-16 on 5. Ordering Information
Thermal Insulation and is under the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C16.23 5.1 Specific installation, insulation type, thermal resistance,
on Blanket and Loose Fill Insulation.
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 2000. Published February 2001.
Originally published as C 1290–95. Last previous edition C 1290–95.
2 3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.06. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07.

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 C 1290
thickness, length, and width suited for the intended use shall be specimens on which the growth is not greater than that on the
specified by the purchaser. comparative items shall be considered to have passed.

6. Materials and Manufacture 8. Dimensional Tolerances

6.1 Basic Material— The basic material shall be fibers 8.1 After conditioning for a minimum of 24 h at 70 6 3°F
made from glass processed from the molten state into fibrous (21 6 1.6°C) and 50 6 5 % relative humidity, the insulation
form. shall conform to the dimensional tolerances listed in Table 1.
6.2 Manufacture— Insulation shall consist of bonded fibers All measurements shall be made in accordance with 12.1.
formed into flexible blanket rolls with or without various
adhered facings. 9. Sampling
9.1 Sampling of the insulation shall be in accordance with
7. Physical Properties Criteria C 390. Specific provisions for sampling shall be agreed
7.1 Thermal Resistance—The material shall be tested at the upon between the purchaser and the supplier.
out of package thickness and at the installed thickness for the
thermal resistance at 75°F (24°C) mean temperature in accor- 10. Inspection
dance with 13.2. The installed thermal resistance shall be tested 10.1 Inspection of the insulation shall be as agreed upon by
with the material compressed to 75 % of the labeled out of the purchaser and the manufacturer as part of the purchase
package thickness. For each case the tested thermal resistance, agreement.
R, for the average of any four randomly selected samples, shall
not be more than 5% below the label R-Values, when tested in 11. Qualification and Inspection Requirements
accordance with 13.2 nor shall any single specimen be more 11.1 Qualification Requirements—The following require-
than 10 % below the label R-Values4. ments are generally used for purposes of initial material or
product qualification:
NOTE 1—Consult the local or state building codes for the minimum
installed thermal resistance, R-value, required to be installed. 11.1.1 Thermal resistance,
NOTE 2—To obtain the measured installed R-value during installation, 11.1.2 Surface burning characteristics,
the duct wrap insulation shall be cut to a stretch-out as indicated in Table 11.1.3 Water vapor permeance, except for Type I material,
X1.1 in Appendix X1. 11.1.4 Water vapor sorption,
7.2 Surface Burning Characteristics—Types I, II, and III, 11.1.5 Odor emission,
when tested in accordance with 13.3, shall have a flame spread 11.1.6 Corrosiveness, and
index not greater than 25, and smoke developed index not 11.1.7 Fungi resistance.
greater than 50. 11.2 Inspection—The following requirements are generally
7.3 Hot Surface Performance—Insulation shall not flame, used for purposes of acceptance sampling of lots or shipments
glow, or smolder when tested in accordance with 13.4 at 250°F of qualified thermal insulation:
(121°C). 11.2.1 Dimensional tolerances, and
7.4 Water Vapor Permeance—When tested in accordance 11.2.2 Workmanship.
with 13.5, the vapor-resistant membrane of a Type III product
12. Workmanship and Finish
shall have a vapor permeance of no more than 0.02 Perm
before laminating to fiber glass. A Type II product shall have a 12.1 Although all requirements for physical properties of
vapor permeance of no more than 1.30 Perm before laminating materials such as blankets are not easily defined or stated
to fiber glass. numerically, it is understood that the insulation will be essen-
7.5 Water Vapor Sorption—The water vapor sorption of the tially free of defects that adversely affect thermal performance,
insulation blanket shall be not more than 5 % by weight, when such as local compressed areas, low density areas, tears, and
tested in accordance with 13.6. holes.
7.6 Odor Emission— A detectable odor of objectionable 12.2 Although general properties of membranes and means
nature recorded by more than two of the five panel members for attachment are not included in this specification, they may
shall constitute rejection of the product when tested in accor- be presumed to be free of excessive tears, rips, holes, and other
dance with 13.7. defects that will adversely affect performance.
7.7 Corrosiveness— When tested in accordance with 13.8,
13. Test Methods
the steel plates in contact with the insulation shall show no
corrosion greater than that observed for comparative plates in 13.1 Dimensions—Test in accordance with Test Method
contact with sterile cotton. C 167.
7.8 Fungi Resistance— When tested in accordance with 13.2 Thermal Resistance:
13.9, the test specimens that have growth greater than that on
the comparative items shall be considered to have failed. Test TABLE 1 Dimensional Tolerance, in. (mm)
Dimension Tolerance
Width −1⁄8 (3.2)
4
The ranges of thermal resistance, R, listed in this section are allowed by the Length −none, excess permitted
Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR part 460 Trade Regulation Rule: Labeling and Thickness −1⁄8 (3.2), excess permitted
Advertising of home Insulation.
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 C 1290
13.2.1 Test in accordance with Test Method C 177 or Test 14. Rejection and Rehearing
Method C 518 at 75°F (24°C) mean temperature (see also 14.1 Materials that fail to conform to the requirements
Practice C 1045). If the test is conducted using Test Method agreed upon in the purchasing agreement may be rejected.
C 518, the manufacturer shall certify that recent calibrations Rejection should be reported to the producer or supplier
have been made. promptly and in writing. In case of dissatisfaction with the
13.2.2 If the blanket is furnished with an adhered mem- results of the inspection, the producer or supplier may make
brane, carefully remove the membrane to provide a surface claim for a rehearing.
equivalent to the original surface that the blanket had before
the application of the membrane. 15. Certification
13.3 Surface Burning Characteristics—Determine the sur- 15.1 When specified in the purchase order or contract, a
face burning characteristic for the composite material in producer’s, supplier’s, or independent third party’s certification
accordance with Test Method E 84, or for Canada, the surface shall be furnished to the purchaser indicating that the material
bring characteristics shall be determined in accordance with was manufactured, sampled, tested, and inspected in accor-
Test Method CAN/ULC-S102–M88.5 dance with this specification and has been found to meet the
13.4 Hot Surface Performance—The hot surface perfor- requirements. When specified in the purchase order or contract,
mance of the material shall be tested in accordance with Test a report of test results shall be furnished.
Method C 411. Type II and III materials should be tested with
the insulation blanket in contact with the hot plate. 16. Product Marking
13.5 Water Vapor Permeance—Test the permeance of the
facing material in accordance with the Desiccant Method of 16.1 Type II and III material shall be marked continuously
Test Method E 96. with the following information: manufacturer, product name,
13.6 Water Vapor Sorption—Determine the amount of water surface burning characteristics, nominal thickness, nominal
vapor sorption of the blanket test specimen in accordance with R-value, and installed R-value.
Test Method C 1104/C 1104M.
17. Packaging and Package Marking
13.7 Odor Emission— Determine the odor emission in
accordance with the Odor Emission test method in Specifica- 17.1 Packaging—Unless otherwise specified, the insulation
tion C 665. shall be packaged in the manufacturer’s standard containers.
13.8 Corrosiveness— The corrosiveness of the material 17.2 Package Marking— The markings shall be clear and
shall be determined in accordance with the steel portion of the legible. Unless otherwise specified, each container shall be
Corrosiveness test method in Specification C 665. marked with the manufacturer’s name, address, and telephone
13.9 Fungi Resistance— The fungi resistance of the mate- number; product name; material width; length; thickness;
rial shall be determined in accordance with the Fungi Resis- nominal R-value; installed R-value; and facing type, if a facing
tance test method in Specification C 665. is employed.

18. Keywords
5
Available from Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada, 7 Crouse Road, Toronto, 18.1 blanket; ducts; fibrous glass; insulation; thermal resis-
Ontario, Canada, M1R3A9. tance

APPENDIX

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(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. INSULATION INSTALLATION STRETCH-OUT SCHEDULE

X1.1 This appendix has been included to show the insula- TABLE X1.1 Duct Wrap Stretch-OutsA in. (mm)
tion stretch-out schedule to be followed during installation of Labeled
Minimum
Installed RoundB SquareB RectangularB
duct wrap material in order to prevent excessive compression Thickness
Thickness
of the material during installation.
1.0 (25) .75 (19) P + 7.0 (178) P + 6.0 (152) P + 5.0 (127)
1.5 (38) 1.125 (29) P + 9.5 (241) P + 8.0 (203) P + 7.0 (178)
X1.2 By following the schedule in Table X1.1, the reduc- 2.0 (51) 1.5 (38) P + 12.0 (305) P + 10.0 (254) P + 8.0 (203)
2.5 (64) 1.875 (48) P + 14.5 (368) P + 12.5 (318) P + 9.5 (241)
tion in material nominal thickness due to compression during 3.0 (76) 2.25 (57) P + 17.0 (432) P + 14.5 (368) P + 11.5 (292)
installation will be limited to an average 25 %. 3.5 (89) 2.625 (67) P + 19.5 (495) P + 16.5 (419) P + 13.0 (330)
4.0 (102) 3.0 (76) P + 22.0 (559) P + 18.5 (470) P + 14.5 (368)
A
Stretch-out is the length of insulation, duct wrap, that is added due to the
outside perimeter of the installed insulation being larger than the outside perimeter
of the duct and to achieve the above minimum installed thicknesses.
B
P = Perimeter of duct, in. (mm).

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