Why tape should never be used on ducts. We cannot praise adhesive tape enough. This sticky solution can adhere to many hard surfaces; ironically, air ducts aren't one of them. Duct tape is not designed to withstand extreme temperature changes, such as those coming from your HVAC system.
Duct tape is useful for repairing just about anything, but ironically, not for ductwork. Adhesive tape can withstand a lot of things. It's no secret that adhesive tape can bond even the toughest surfaces together. However, the only thing it can't withstand is heat and extreme temperature changes.
This is one of the many reasons why duct tape should never be used. If you “fix” the ducts with adhesive tape, there may be a drop in your energy bills, but this drop is temporary. The advantages of an adhesive tape specific to air conditioning systems for applications such as sewing and sealing class 1 flexible ducts include that it adheres to rough or dirty surfaces, is easy to tear and offers high retention capacity. While general-purpose adhesive tape is not suitable for use in HVAC systems, there are some fabric adhesive tapes that are specifically designed to be used in certain HVAC applications.
Keep reading to learn why you shouldn't use duct tape to seal ducts and for advice on better alternatives. If you use adhesive tape on ducts, the savings will be short-lived because the adhesive tape will eventually fail and you'll have to deal with the same leaking ducts.
