No, “insulating my pipe”, not to be confused with “insulting my pipe”, doesn't mean anything dirty.

People designed New York's old steam heating system to encourage people to open their windows, even in the winter! However, I didn't want to open my windows, because I didn't want to let in the noise. And I couldn't control the steam heating pipe running through my room; the building controlled it.

So I consulted my physics friend, who explained that proper pipe insulation would lower the rate of heat from the pipe into my room, thereby lowering the equilibrium temperature of the room.

After purchasing fiberglass pipe insulation, I consulted my carpenter friend, who explained that fiberglass exposure would lead to potential health issues, most concerningly respiratory issues. I kept the fiberglass out of my apartment (by the elevators), and returned it the next day.

I asked my old roommate, who recalled using foam pipe insulation. However, upon taking the temperature of the pipe with a newly purchased infrared (IR) thermometer, I realized foam pipe insulation wouldn't work well. I recalled with some concern scraping foam bits off the steam heating pipe of my old roommate's room when moving out.

After some thorough searching, going back and forth on fiberglass and foam, I found some cotton pipe insulation online. Cotton won't cause respiratory issues, nor melt, so I enthusiastically installed it on my pipe with a utility knife and tape. With its R-value of 4, I've found my room no longer overheats overnight!