Revit insulation tags: how to tag pipe and duct insulation

Insulation changes what a reader sees. A 100 mm pipe with 25 mm of wrap takes up 150 mm of ceiling, and a duct tag that ignores the wrap hides a clash. Revit stores the insulation as part of the pipe or duct, and the tag can read it, with a few traps.

This guide takes the job in order. Under each step is a note on where it slows down and how RayCAD, a Revit plugin for MEPF tagging, handles that part.

How do you add insulation to a pipe or duct?

For a pipe:

1. Select the pipe.
2. On the Modify | Pipes tab, find the Pipe Insulation panel and click Add Insulation.
3. Choose the insulation type and enter the thickness.
4. Click OK.

For a duct, the steps are the same on the Modify | Ducts tab, with the Duct Insulation panel. For many pipes, select them all before you start, or add insulation to a system with the same command.

How do you show insulation thickness on a tag?

1. Select a pipe or duct tag in the model and click Edit Family.
2. Save a copy under a new name.
3. Select the label and click Edit Label.
4. Add Insulation Thickness from the list of parameters. Add a prefix such as INS so the reader knows what the number means.
5. Click the format button, clear Use project settings if the tag needs its own units, and set the units and rounding.
6. Click Load into Project.
7. Select the elements and pick the new type in the Type Selector.

Why do pipe insulation units not follow Project Units?

This one catches people. Users report that in Revit 2024 and earlier, the pipe insulation thickness unit cannot be controlled by Project Units. The workaround that is reported to work is to change the unit for HVAC Duct Insulation Thickness, which moves the pipe value with it. One source says Revit 2025.3 fixed it.

1. Go to Manage, Project Units.
2. Choose the HVAC discipline.
3. Open the format for Duct Insulation Thickness.
4. Set the units and rounding, then click OK.
5. Check the pipe insulation tag again.

Test it on one pipe in your own version before you rely on it.

Why does the tag show the wrong overall size?

An insulated pipe has an outside diameter that includes the wrap. A user reported that an overall size tag added the insulation to the nominal diameter instead of the outside diameter, so the totals came out wrong. The suggested fix was to set the pipe's nominal diameter equal to its outside diameter.

Check on a test pipe. Add 25 mm of insulation to a pipe you know, tag its overall size, and compare the number with your hand calculation. This report came from a much older version, so your version may behave differently.

Where do insulation tags belong?

• Tag where the insulation changes. A run with one thickness needs one tag.
• Tag insulated and uninsulated sections. A reader needs to see where the wrap stops.
• Keep insulation notes on the tag, not in a general note, when the thickness varies by size or system.

What goes wrong with insulation tags?

What does RayCAD do with insulation?

RayCAD tags insulation thickness and lining thickness on rigid ducts, in floor plans and section views, with the same placement as the rest of the duct tags. RayCAD does not tag pipe insulation today. You tag it with Revit as above, and RayCAD tags the pipe's size, system abbreviation, and elevation. See the guide to duct size tags and the guide to tagging pipes.

Try RayCAD in Revit 2021 to 2027, or ask for a demo and an onboarding call. The guide to tagging ducts covers the rest of the duct tags.