1.7
November 14, 2008

Duct Mastic is Fantastic.

$20 That can save you big $ this winter

I was introduced, recently, to another way to seal up ventilation ducts, and it’s so easy.

I used to laboriously cut and stick strips of the foil tape that never quite sealed perfectly, didn’t stick to some surfaces, cut my hands at times, and was generally frustrating.

Instead, to finish up the 3/4 of ducts in my basement that I had not sealed up, I used Duct Mastic.  It’s essentially caulk.   But it’s specifically for sealing up ductwork, so you buy it in the ducting/ventilation aisle. On a recent weeknight, I found my caulking gun and a rubber glove, bought 4 tubes of Duct Mastic, and went to work.

Very few people I know don’t like to fingerpaint.  it’s tactile, relaxing, messy, and forgoes with tools like paintbrushes.  Applying Duct Mastic will appeal to the child in you that likes to fingerpaint.  Slip on your glove, squirt some goo in your hand, and smear it on anything that looks like a crack in the supply or return-air ducting.

I had a furnace contractor tell me that he could easily find gaps in ducting big enough to slip his hand.  I scoffed.  I’m glad I did not make a bet with him.  I found so many gaps, I was cursing the builder for heating my basement for 20 years instead of heating my living quarters.  Some were more that 3/8″!

So, stop by your hardware to buy some Duct Mastic, put on your rubber glove and an ipod, and make a mess tonight in the name of saving energy this winter.

303-579-6386

 

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