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this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2026
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There is NO duct manufacturer that calls for the use of duct tape.
It has ZERO official use.
That’s because it was originally ‘duck’ tape, due to it being made from duck cloth. After WWII the GIs back home from the war had liked how useful it was, and so used it for general repairs, including sometimes taping up air ducts, from which it got its more commonly-known name.
It has too short of a life expectancy to be used for construction.
The are no manufacturers that call for its use...that I know of.
It is good for holding things in place till they've been secured but don't leave it on, the sticky stuff will make a mess.
I have no idea if this is true but it's inconsequential so I'm going to choose to believe it.
Did you know that it was originally a band aid for combat situations?
Also that nowadays the industry massively prefers gaffer tape cause it can be removed without leaving a mess.
Gaffers tape is pretty much just non-water-resistant duck/t tape, you see it used a lot to hold cables down in theaters and concert venues. I’ve only ever seen aluminum foil tape used for duct joints and repair.
X
From Wikipedia:
The first material called "duck tape" was long strips of plain non-adhesive cotton duck cloth used in making shoes stronger, for decoration on clothing, and for wrapping steel cables or electrical conductors to protect them from corrosion or wear. For instance, in 1902, steel cables supporting the Manhattan Bridge were first covered in linseed oil then wrapped in duck tape before being laid in place.
It's kind of like the glass vials with paper flowers in them that are sold at gas stations. Reality is they are one use crack pipes.
Meanwhile duct tape is actually horrible for taping up the holes in ducting.. Reality is it's for restraining people.
A product that FOUND a purpose. Usually the NEED is there first and THEN the solution is found.
A bit backwards but OK.
HVAC ducts are actually one of the places where duct tape doesn't work well.
HVAC ducts are often in attics and subjected to high temperatures, and the glue in duct tape doesn't hold up well in high temperatures.
Instead, there is actual duct tape out there designed for use in HVAC ducts that works much better for that purpose.
The best part is when it breaks down and the silver stuff comes off, leaving a ragged backing and crusty adhesive.
There's really no use case for duct tape that wouldn't be better served by another kind of tape. Even if you want a "one roll for almost anything", gaff tape is better.
Restraining unruly airline passengers?
it also wont stick to begin with 90% of the time because of dust on the ducts
You're supposed to clean dust off things before trying to tape them. No kind of tape will work well on a dusty surface.