Longevity of Duct Tape in Residential Air Distribution Systems: 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D Joints

Abstract

This paper addresses the effectiveness of using duct tape in sealing residential air distribution systems through two laboratory longevity tests. The first test involved the aging of common “core-to-collar joints” of flexible duct to sheet metal collars, and sheet metal “collar-to-plenum joints” exposed to continuous 200°F (93°C) circulating air. The second test consisted of baking duct tape specimens in a constant 212°F (100°C) oven following the UL 181BFX “Temperature Test” requirements. The study concluded that the duct tape performance in sealing joints depends on the joint's space dimensions; it gets worse as the number of dimensions required to describe the joint increases (1-D to 3-D). This is essentially caused by the shrinkage of the duct tape backing that results in the peeling of its rubber-based adhesive off the sheet metal fixture. The baking test results showed that the failure in the duct tape joints could be attributed to the combination type of the duct tape and the material it is applied to.