Duck tape or metal tape?

[Katyinspector]

Is duck tape ever ok for connecting ductwork to the plenum? Or is metal tape the best way to seal for many leaks?

[mark beiser]

Mastic

[dj3901783]

yeah, I'll strap it, tape it with venture tape and seal it with mastic... I see duct with duct tape come off all the time...

[mark beiser]

yeah, I'll strap it, tape it with venture tape and seal it with mastic... I see duct with duct tape come off all the time...

I skip the tape part, kinda pointless with a strap and mastic. A lot of tapes will also release if you cover them with mastic.

I don't use any of the traditional duct tape looking products for anything. I don't think I even own any. I have 3 different kinds of tape I use on duct systems, none of them look like "duct tape".

The closest thing I have to "duct tape" is the rubber impregnated canvas "Gaffers Tape" I use for bundling refrigerant line sets together.

[DanW13]

Buy the metal tape that is made from heavy gauge metal is usuallt better than the thin metal tape, The thin metal tape is ok to use on flex duct but the heavy tape is much better an IMO has better adhesive. Mastic NO.9 is good to use as well, very easy to apply with a small brush on most typical seams, anything bigger use a good high heat resitive silicone.

[cem-bsee]

I used HVAC mastic on all my joints & seams &holes --

oh yeh, I will bet anyone $100 that they can not remove the 'duct' tape on my pipe joints without scraping without abraiding the stuff away!! applied in 1974, I am sure -- [sure wish I knew what brand & catalogue number!]

[badboyheel]

mastic is the best. if you mean connecting flex duct to a start collar i use two 3ft large zip ties. manufacturer sugg. connecting flex part by zip ties and insulation with duct tape. go figure

[HVAC2B]

mastic is the best. if you mean connecting flex duct to a start collar i use two 3ft large zip ties. manufacturer sugg. connecting flex part by zip ties and insulation with duct tape. go figure

WINDOW WRAP,lol...........actually seen this on a plenum last week


actually I like mastic or caulk

[ductdoc]

What leaks? The Doc says always dog ear your s-cleats. If you gotta run duct out side though water based is the best.

[HVAC Pro]

Ductdoc, can you elaborate on "dog earing" the s-cleats?

[ductdoc]

Cut your cleat two 2" longer than your duct.

Snip two of the three folds 1" back on both ends.

Round off the edges to resemble a "dogs ear".

You the have an inch to fold over your corner.

Pop a screw in to pull it tight.

The end result should resemble a drive cleat "nice and neat"

[BigJon3475]

Mastic.......it's like the same price and you don't have to worry about seams with duct tape falling apart and having to clean them off.

[HVAC Pro]

Thanks ductdoc. I'll have to give that a try. I agree with the others regarding mastic to seal many leaks Katyinspector.

[$_aei]

I'm sure most of you are talking about Mastic Tape,...Very easy to work with and extreamly difficult to remove, an excellent product.

[BigJon3475]

mastic tape?......mine comes in goop in a bucket.

[mark beiser]

mastic tape?......mine comes in goop in a bucket.

Mastic tape, aka rollmastic, aka butyl tape.

Basically it is foil tape with a thick butyl rubber adhesive. Fairly expensive.
I use it for sealing equipment connections, like furnace to coil, and for sealing plenum and transition connections to the unit. Its fast, won't fall off ever, and when I wrap the plenum/transitions with duct wrap, there isn't an issue with taping the vapor barrier to the unit like there would be if we used brush on mastic.

http://www.hardcast.com/PRODUCTS/pdf...181BFX_tds.pdf

http://www.shurtape.com/Default.aspx...8&ProductID=98

[BigJon3475]

Mastic tape, aka rollmastic, aka butyl tape.

Basically it is foil tape with a thick butyl rubber adhesive. Fairly expensive.
I use it for sealing equipment connections, like furnace to coil, and for sealing plenum and transition connections to the unit. Its fast, won't fall off ever, and when I wrap the plenum/transitions with duct wrap, there isn't an issue with taping the vapor barrier to the unit like there would be if we used brush on mastic.

http://www.hardcast.com/PRODUCTS/pdf...181BFX_tds.pdf

http://www.shurtape.com/Default.aspx...8&ProductID=98

Thanks.