You're Sealing Your Ductwork? So What Are You Using?

The ductwork in your HVAC system is the distribution pathway responsible for bringing cooled or heated air to areas throughout your home. Since all of the conditioned air from your air conditioner, heat pump or furnace travels through the ductwork, there is a significantly increased chance of expensive and wasteful air and energy loss somewhere in the duct system. Sealing your ductwork will stop these air and energy leaks, improve indoor comfort and reduce your home heating and cooling bills.

The two most common choices for sealing ductwork are mastic sealant and high-quality duct tape. For the most effective and longest-lasting seal, mastic is the preferred choice.

1. Mastic: Mastic is a thick, flexible substance that seals the connections in your ductwork system. In consistency, it is similar to peanut butter, and is applied in layers about as thick as a nickel coin. Mastic does not harden or become brittle, which means it does not lose its seal over time. Mastic seals smaller connections and can be used on gaps as large as 1/8 inch wide if the area is reinforced with fiberglass mesh tape. The biggest disadvantage of mastic is that it can be messy and tricky to apply, especially in tight areas.
2. Duct tape: Standard duct tape is easily and readily available in many types of retail stores. This cloth-backed rubber-adhesive tape has many uses, but as a method of sealing your ductwork, it falls short. Over time, the adhesive on duct tape can dry out, which causes the tape to fail and drop off. Even if the tape still hangs on, the seal will be broken and the tape will be useless. There are some metal or foil-backed types of tape that do provide a good seal, but make sure you carefully read the labeling or online reviews to select a tape that will do the job over the long haul.

At CCAC, Inc. we provide reliable, professional HVAC sales and service to Coastal Bend homeowners. Contact us today for more information on duct sealing and the benefits it will provide for you, or for expert help with stopping the leaks in your ductwork system.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about sealing your ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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