Duct Seal (1 lb): geni.us/BAdnf DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.
Worked 48 yrs for a utility company 75% of the time we used duct seal outside to seal open end pipes, outdoor cold roll bends going into building foundations worked during all four seasons. Excellent product, excellent video 👍
@@EverydayHomeRepairs gas pipe installations, 1/2” to 48” low pressure to transmission pressure. Cast iron pipe from late 1800’s, steel, and polyethylene great experience. You do a fantastic job with hands on experience 👍
@@schutzhund3933 I think you’re right 👍🏽 at least 20 years with the clipboard! Although, some of us start early. For example; when I was 27 years old I already had 20 years experience in my trade/profession. How can this be? In my case: I continued the “family business”. Simple as that. Literally, been doing it since I was a kid.
As a retired 22+ electrician we used it all the time interior and exterior. We used to call it "C4". Good stuff. If you have a larger hole, pack it with steel wool 1st. Mice can't chew through steel wool
LOL "C4" Nice touch. WARNING, Steel Wool Rusts, crumbles, falls away, leaving hole Open Again. Had to put wire mesh, [SS Screening] in first to hold S wool up, perhaps metal issue? i'm slow, learned hard way; Not strong enough Screen either. Know any way to hinder\stop rusting, *please advise. Thanks*
I retired from the phone company. We used duct seal to seal up ducts in manholes. When I retired 25 years ago, I grabbed a couple of bars for myself. After 25 years it’s still good! It’s great outdoors too. Hasn’t dried up in 25 years ! When I need it, it’s always there. I also use it like “museum putty”,
Same TELCO experience here in TEXAS with manhole runs as well as conduits in pedestals and building equipment room conduits. It was easy to spot because we could order it and keep some handy in our truck supply bins. Only difference was that ours came in SLIME GREEN, very easy to spot when supervisors ran quality checks. Electricians also used it as FIRE STOP which was a HOT PINK compound .
The US Navy introduced me to this product in about 1964. In that environment it was commonly known as “Monkey $h!t”. A valuable asset indeed. The most common usage was on penetrations between watertight compartments on surface ships and submarines. These penetrations passed vital cabling and piping systems both internal and external to the watertight hull and other compartments. I have personally been in situations when this material served as life saving equipment. During application, if you wet your fingers and smooth the external surface of the product, a shiny, weather shedding surface will be created. This stuff lasts for many years. I still use this product for home and auto applications of all kinds.
This is very interesting. Thank you for sharing. But about critical situations (life-saving equipment)? Could you provide more details? I suspect it's a good insulator, but I'm not sure if it can withstand high pressure.
This is a great product, I used it for installing a shower / bathtub faucet in the 70s. When I hat to change this faucet 45 years later, this sealant was in as good condition as when I installed it back then. I did not hesitate to use that same stuff again for the new faucet.
For building exteriors I'd recommend butyl tape. It's outdoor rated and is commonly used to seal gaps externally (lap sealing of metal panels/roofing, roof vents and pipe flashing etc). It has a very similar consistency to duct seal, but again is a specific formulation for external use (flexible in cold weather, stable in high temperatures, intended to compensate for settling, has some adhesive properties). I've only seen it sold as a coil with a paper backing.
I've used it for filling in voids around the outside... Using it to fill under bottom of siding where it meets the foundation...Critters like to try to gain access so that's great material to fill any access holes ...It's paintable also
Electrical company used that goop to seal around the vertical conduit coming into the meter box about 20 years ago when my house was upgraded to 200 amp service. I kind of laughed inwardly as I watched one of the workers forming it in a cone shape, thinking "that stuff ain't gonna last - it's just Play-doh." But after 20 years of being bombarded with rain and sun, it still looks as good as the day it was applied. (And it wasn't painted over.) I think one of the "secrets" to applying products such as this (I use Alex Flex caulk, for example) is to take your time and smush the product in tight with a finger and treat it as if it were a car paint repair blend at the edges. Neatness counts, but not just for aesthetic reasons. Caulk will fail if you don't do this - whether it's painted over or not - otherwise it will last and last, if it's a quality product to begin with.
I'm 72 years old. My Dad, who was in heating and air conditioning, use what he called moretight. It was good back then as now. This is excellent way to seal exterior gaps.
GREAT timing! I was just about to use spray foam on a tricky section of electrical conduit that comes off of my septic pump. This seams like I could get the job done under much better control! Thanks Scott!
As a Rescue specialist for many years we carried this , what we called: " electrical putty", on the rescue truck for sealing or plugging punctured fuel tanks on rolled over vehicles etc... gasoline and diesel fuel did not affect it's sticking/adhering ability. Just saying...
Great video and I love when you pointed out about the exterior use. I’m a retired electrician and I’ve used this item a lot and it does work well except over time it does seem to shrink thus no seal anymore. Maybe if it is used to seal the penetration from the inside and maybe some kind of silicone on the outside it may last longer. Again a Great video!
This is a great product and I discovered it by accident a few months ago while shopping at Menards in the electrical section. Thanks for highlighting this excellent sealant.
I have 35 years of experience in the electrical field. After I applied duct seal I used a little bit of silicone caulking on the duct seal. Without it the duct seal dries out and cracks. I've gone back to meany years later and ind the stuff was still good.
I used Duct Seal to better seal my A/C refrigerant lines set entering my home. The lines are covered with a sheet metal cover, and the sheet metal cover is sealed with silicone like elastomeric sealant, but I wanted the hole in the wall under the cover to be better sealed to prevent moisture and bug intrusion. I packed the Duct Seal in; I imagine it'll last a long time being covered and not exposed to sunlight and water. I painted the silicone sealant, so that should hold up really well too. 👍👍👍
I go to these extremes to prevent water damage. Back in 2021 I had to deal with a water damage problem in my kitchen. It cost me $8K to fix it all. Don't want to have to deal with that again.@@EverydayHomeRepairs
"I painted the silicone sealant"? No, no, paint does not adhere to silicone sealant. If it were silicone sealant, you'd see the paint ball up into drops when applying.
@@elgringoec I used DAP Dynaflex 230 Elastomeric Sealant; it's not silicone. If I'm going to paint a sealant, I always verify that it's paintable. Elastomeric sealant is a very good sealant and can last a really long time and even longer under good paint. It's really good as an exterior sealant that you plan to paint as I did.
I worked as a meterman for years. We used duct seal on the entrance cable entering the meter socket. I would dry out eventually. We were responsible for maintaining the meter equipment so we replaced the DS when we noticed it was dried and cracked.
The electrician that installed a new line into my basement used duct seal on the exterior where the line entered the house. That was 10 or more years ago, and its still pliable and still keeping the rain out. Thanks for the video.....
I've been a homeowner for 20 years and never heard of this. I do remember that my HVAC line into the house may have had this stuff on. I will check this out at the big box store. thanks,
Seal the inside of the conduit too when transitioning thermal zones. When doing commercial refrigeration work, I was always impressed by light bulbs burning under water in ceiling mounted weatherproof light fixtures with a glass globe which were installed inside walk in freezers and the conduit wasn't properly sealed by the electricians (which was almost always the case).
Thanks for this info. Just the other day I was debugging my sprinkler system and opened the controller box where the wires attach to the terminals. Yellow jackets had created nests all around the wires. Now I am going to use this product to keep them out.
For the wires in the panel, it might also be worth mentioning that a great place to seal that up is actually at the LB entering your house. You can seal the inside of the conduit there, and there should not be any junctions there, so the wires are fully insulated.
I was just going to mention the same thing until I saw your post. When I had my 100A fuse box replaced with a 200A box, and the electrical inspector came out, he suggested I pack the LB with the sealant. 30 years later, the inside of my breaker panel still looks like new with no rust/corrosion or bugs which was unlike my old fuse box since it was not sealed. When you run things like vent fans and clothes dryers, that makeup air needs to enter somewhere into the home. One spot will be through the conduit if it's not sealed. If it's hot and humid outside and that air enters into your breaker panel, it can condense on the metal parts causing them to corrode and rust.
@@1957mrbill How true! My basement would get so cold in the winter when the wind was from the right direction. In the end, it was sealing up the inside of the LB that fixed the problem.
Thank you for this video. My HVAC used this to seal the PVC exhaust and intake for my furnace when it was installed a 4 or 5 years ago. It needs a little attention and I could not figure out for the life of me what it was!
I've used a boat load of this stuff doing electrical, but rarely exposed to the elements on the exterior. Primarily to stuff and fill conduit to prevent condensation transfer/leaks on the interior of the conduit where it enters and exits an external wall. Also on large jbox and equipment chases passing from exterior to interior, but not on the outside, only on the inside of the box where conduit connections are, or interior. We typically use a window/door grade silicone product like vulkem when it comes to sealing and edging around a penetration that will remain exposed to the elements. Duct seal won't stay adhered to the different materials like silicone/vulkem type compounds that can handle extreme heat/cold changes, and direct sunlight. This is best used to fill pipe's empty spaces, and seal openings that will not be exposed to the elements.
This is my favorite DIY channel. You have an uncanny way of posting videos about projects I’m just about to start. This happens almost every week, it’s unbelievable. Well done and much appreciated!
I bought a block for a sealing the inlet of an electric meter fitting on a renovation job several years ago. Since then, I have used it on other projects that require sealing out water.
I was told by my roofer that spray foam as an exterior sealant is a bad idea. It's permeable so it can suck in moisture and that can cause mold in dry wall bays. I've been using Quad but I'll give this sealant a try. Thanks.
Good stuff Scott. Easy to use and forgiving as you say. Like this better than the foam spray as you can use as little as you need for small jobs. Not so with the spray foam!
I have helped install roof panels that were metal and we used something just like that for keeping the roof panels from rattling and side blowing water leaks and it made the job easier because when we had put a new panel down we could walk on it and it was basically stuck down and we could move it if we needed to change something . It was probably the same thing we used it for soundproofing on ductwork in the same building . Was completely water resistant if it was adhered to its surface .
Another option that my electrician recommended is hydraulic cement. It's pretty inexpensive, and you can get it in a small bucket that keeps it dry until you need it. Then you just mix enough water to make it like clay and apply the same way you did. Less forgiving though, in that it dries hard and solid. But works great.
I’ve used this on my RV in place of the gum tape for years and had no issues that I know of. In some cases I prefer duct seal over the gum tape the industry uses.
I use it to seal wires at the ends of conduits, especially in underground "hand holes" to prevent water from moving through the conduits and into places you do not want water. Also works to control septic gasses that might migrate from the pump chamber and into the electrical control panels. And helps keeps bugs from migrating into electrical control panels through the conduits. Pack an LB or "condulet" body with the stuff, and not much will be able to get through.
had a repair call where the original installer put the septic control panel below the elevation of the tank. the control panel now has C condulets below it, with the conduits packed with duct seal, and weep holes drilled in them, and then the fittings into the panel also packed, and weep holes in the panel.
Can you use Duct Seal on wires themselves? I have a short, somewhere in my old Tacoma. Last night, my headlights came on/stayed on until I pulled the fuses. I'm planning on using WD-40 unless you recommend something better and then something to seal any wire breaks that I find. Any help that you can offer is appreciated.
@@arcanondrum6543 duct seal would be useless for that. if there is wire damage, liquid electrical tape would be an option. you'd want to be sure the wire was clean, before applying it. and even thin, it isn't abrasion resistant, so you'd want to go over it actual tape - and of course, fix what caused the problem. addendum: to make it clear, duct seal has the consistency of play-doh. it's used to plug holes, and as long as it is held in place, it slows down water or air infiltration enough to deflect moisture intrusion. its not air or watertight, and it falls off easily.
I am an Amateur Radio operator, we use a very similar compound called CoaxSeal (nicknamed "Dinosaur Sh!t") to seal connectors on antennas. I have had antenna installations, some over 60 feet in the air, up for years - the connections were well protected from moisture. I usually cover the antenna connection with good quality electrical tape to help prevent drying. I have used Duct Seal to seal the cable entrances to the house with great success.
Thanks for this video! I've used the spray stuff and it doesn't last long and as mentioned it's hard to control. Will definitely buy this when I do my spring checklist.
So THAT'S what this stuff is! It seals the line from the street going into the top of the meter. Looks pretty cracked and I'm worried about rain. Thank You!
Freezing temps combined with difference in expansion rates between the duct seal and exterior material will break it loose and you'll lose the water-tight seal. Not that this isn't a problem with many other types of sealant methods, though.
In my area the electrical inspectors want you to at least seal one side of any electrical penetration coming in and out of a house. So either the lb on the outside or the TA on the interior going to the panel needs to be sealed with duct seal.
I’ve used clear silicone, but It easily peels off after a year or two in the sun. I’ve had excellent results with a product called OSI clear I’ve had it last three years and it still looks perfect. It comes in a caulk tube like silicone cost a little bit more, but it’s my secret weapon
I suggest that in addition to keeping the clay wrapped, store it in a vacuum sealed mason jar or one of those jars that clamp down and have a gasket. It will ensure it doesn't dry out.
How are you “vacuum sealing” your mason jar? You using some kind of vacuum pump? Easy to tell someone who has no clue, they make stupid comments that are impractical to implement.
@@stevebabiak6997lol…jeez man, a little harsh maybe ? 😂 He probably should have said use something with an air tight lid, but he did still manage to get some thumbs up for the suggestion. But even a ziplock bag would be overkill. This stuff doesn’t dry out.
It is a requirement to have Duct Seal on top of the Raintight fitting atop the meter channel which is typically outdoors. We also use it on the inside of condulets where they are used to penetrate the wall of a structure from the outside. This aids in combating condensation from forming due to cold air which not only flows but conducts a path before meeting the warm interior air. I use Lexel clear as an alternative to silicone. I won't post selling points as I'm not a salesman for the product but I've used it for: controls, security and electrical installations. I've also used it for carpentry although I'm not a carpenter. When you have everything from bugs and critters to the elements working on getting into your structure - 24/7/365 - you want something that will last. Duct seal will age and form a hardened skin where exposed to the elements. Depending on the length of time exposed you can either remove that film or work it in to the rest and reuse it.. It's a personal choice.
Caution to homeowners when selling in Florida. Home inspectors may note this on the 4-point inspection, buyers will not be able to secure insurance/financing to close the deal until you have it replaced with an "approved" exterior solution.
Working on merchant ships, duct seal is used to keep water from pooling inside watertight penetrations. I have experienced that it does dry out and crack when subject to direct UV (such as on top of the bridge, etc.). To combat this, I've seen Denso tape used on top of duct seal to protect it from UV. I've also seen silicone used instead, but silicone fails much sooner (at least on brass connectors). Maybe silicone works better on PVC? Don't know.
My HVAC guy used this product to seal up an outdoor air conditioner connection on the south side of my house. It does dry out and crack over time. I replaced the dried up product with spray foam, but I am thinking about doing what you have suggested, and trim the foam and cover the foam with the duct seal. Thanks for the video.
I use it at work to cover motor lead connections. We bolt the lugs of the motor leads to the wires from the motor starters and then pack around the connections with duct seal. Wrap that with linerless rubber splicing tape and cover that with super 33 electrical tape.
I have used this for exterior sealing for many years, works great. I have no idea why it's not rated for exterior use. Maybe in dryer climates it will dry out and crack. I haven't seen that happen yet.
When my father-in-law helped us replace an outdoor spigot, he used Great Stuff to seal around the pipe and we hadn't had any issue. I think I may pick up that product for extra insurance because in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia, it has it own weather system that can seesaw between lovely, spring day to downright bitter cold in matter of 24 hours.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs Unfortunately, we only have Harbor Freight, Home Depot, and Lowe's in town. However, in an earlier part of your video, it looked like you picked up a block from Lowe's.
I've seen this used all over, but I've also seen contractors and DIYers use plumbing stainless putty the same way. No idea what the chemical differences are, but I had an old building inspector tell me plumbing putty is the easiest, but good to best quality goes stainless putty to duct seal to butyl rope (best). I do agree that the putties don't always last if placed in direct sunlight unprotected.
Duct seal is made from organic ingredients, which is why it's not ideal for exterior applications. Use Butyl tape (applies in a similar manner), as it's designed for exterior and UV applications.
It has been used on my electrical box here in wetlands area southeast MA, USA since 2016 without any issues other than some discoloration. Started off a black color and is now a darker grey. I am able to manipulate it still as the material is still malleable. Hope this helps. 8-9 years and going strong.
I used it to fill the big deep gap of an electric main going into the house. It is at the north side in the shade. It has been about 7 to 8 years and still looks like the day I put it on.
It DOES dry out over time. I have yet to return for service to a house that I have used it on. I have removed my fair share of it from services and panels that I have changed. I will, as a curtesy, remove it and replace with silicone on a service that I am not changing. I have switched to silicone caulk. I still use duct seal in conduit that passes through exterior walls as an insulation barrier.
Another similar product that cures solid with metal reinforcement would be epoxy putty. Some common ones are made by ProPoxy 20, Oatey Fix-it-stick or JB Weld. Most can be painted too.
I just replaced the duct sealant on the exterior of my house where it was wrapped around the AC line (where it enters the house). The duct sealant had been in place for 28 years, is located on the NNW side of the house and would still be going strong if the AC line hadn't been repaired. Great product.
I was saying prayers last night to find a product for this purpose. Voila! It appeared in my feed today! Thank you Scott for posting, and to God! I can’t wait to buy it. I have so many outdoor stuff to seal. It is amazing how homeowners do not maintain their property!
I looked through the first 50 or 60 comments to see if anyone else called it Thumb Gum. That's what the HVAC installers in a company I worked for called it. We used it to seal the penetrations around refrigeration lines and wiring. We used it outside all the time. It looked like this stuff. It stayed pliable for years and sealed well.
Here in Scotland we call it 'Butyl' and, on a personal level, its uses are phenomenal. I live in a traditional building with a couple of cast iron framed glass skylights in the attic. One year there was a particularly torrential rainfall that brought rainwater right into one my upstairs rooms. When I inspected the cause I noticed the water was coming through the cast iron section that's 'supposed to' seal against the outside, on the roof. One long section of Butyl tape, rolled into 'sausages', soon dried-up the leak. It's been sound ever since. Another trick I learned from an online site dealing with repairs to boats; when fastening deck fittings - cleats, stanchions etc - always chamfer the top edge of the drilled hole that the bolt is going into (and secured from inside with a nut) then put a piece of butyl around the chamfered edge *before* putting the bolt through the fitting and into the hole. Tighten the nut from underneath, securing a tight fit - the fitting will never leak and is a far better, kinder, seal than any 'permanent' silicon. Butyl - duct seal - is very much your friend.
The man said in the beginning of the video about three times at duct seal will not Harden, it does Harden when is it supposed to the environment so it's best to go ahead and reseal the package after you use it. And every so many years check the places where you put it in case you have to ship out the old hard duct seal and replace it with new duct seal , because it does Harden!!
thanks for the laugh, I'm a second generation electrical contractor, yes DUC seal is used by us all the time, i remember my dad was working on my brothers house in FLA, we are from CT so dad wanted some duc seal ,they went to the Depot ,No body knew what it was Dad explained like you did a hour later and a forklift they found it high on a shelf , nobody knew what it was till that day LOL
I've never used it in the way this video shows, but it makes excellent back-stop material if you have a pellet gun range, and you use a couple of layers. Extremely quiet as opposed to steel pellet traps.
As a retired electrician with 55 years experience we quit using duct seal as it does over time get hard and being that pvc conduit tends to expand and shrink with temperature changes gaps in the seal would always happen leaving areas for water to enter.
Anything but foam. Foam is hard to work but the main problem is the can is single use. So if you use 1/3 of it. Leave it somewhere for lets say a month. Then try to use it again, it's just clogged. Yes you cna clena the tube (easy) but the rest is always painful to clean with mixed results.
My electrician used duct seal around the joint where the main power line comes into the meter box. That was 20 years ago and this winter it cracked, allowing water into the meter box and then into the electrical panel. Well that sucked, but 20 years of proper functionality beats a lot of my houses’ other construction details. And the repair cost $4.99.
keep in mind that duct seal is not adhesive. the reason it is used to seal electrical conduits is because it can easily be pulled back out if the wiring needs to be changed. that means if there is vibration or movement, the seal will pull away.
It does dry out some over time. It was used on the AC lines coming through my brick home back in 2018 & shrunk a little leaving a small gap. I tried reforming it to seal that gap but some of it was dry & cakey & fell off. I just removed the old & applied new.
I used this to seal electrical outlet box inlets when I had to run electricity to my bunny hutches. Didn’t want mice, the elements, or insects getting into the box. Worked just fine in -10 to 120 degree weather.
That stuff was colloquially called "dum-dum" back in the days of NTSC, landlines, leaded gas, and before spray foam. Installers and repair folks used it regularly. It's easy to use and make look nice, doesn't make a mess. But come back after a few years, and it dries out and cracks, loses adhesion, and likes to break away with any movement. That's usually not discovered until trying to figure out how the bugs and sometimes mice are getting in. Oh, and it's cheap, too. My recommendation, drill your hole the OD of your pipe, coat the inside of the hole thoroughly with silicone caulk, likewise the pipe itself, then force/twist the pipe into place. Then touch up around the interface on the inside and out. But only if you really care.
Thank you for your videos (and your channel over all). Wonderfully informative and low drama. I always feel smarter when I finish watching your videos. Initially I found you on a search as I was trying to solve a problem I had in my house. Now I watch "for fun". Please keep up the good work 🙂
I used it to seal at least one end of the conduit so there is no air exchange, hot air in the house going through conduit can cool down and condensate and the water will run into your panel board
Duct Seal (1 lb): geni.us/BAdnf
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.
Worked 48 yrs for a utility company 75% of the time we used duct seal outside to seal open end pipes, outdoor cold roll bends going into building foundations worked during all four seasons. Excellent product, excellent video 👍
Awesome testimony
Thanks man, I appreciate the feedback from your years of experience. You worked 48 years? Lineman?
@@EverydayHomeRepairs gas pipe installations, 1/2” to 48” low pressure to transmission pressure. Cast iron pipe from late 1800’s, steel, and polyethylene great experience. You do a fantastic job with hands on experience 👍
48 years? That usually means 20 years holding a clipboard! 😅@@EverydayHomeRepairs
@@schutzhund3933 I think you’re right 👍🏽 at least 20 years with the clipboard! Although, some of us start early. For example; when I was 27 years old I already had 20 years experience in my trade/profession.
How can this be? In my case: I continued the “family business”. Simple as that. Literally, been doing it since I was a kid.
As a retired 22+ electrician we used it all the time interior and exterior. We used to call it "C4". Good stuff. If you have a larger hole, pack it with steel wool 1st. Mice can't chew through steel wool
Thanks for the tip on steel wool 👍
ok, Mr Master, could you teach me, what the steel wool is? when you say ''pack it", you mean, mix with the duct seal ? thank you.
Brilliant! Thanks man!
LOL "C4" Nice touch. WARNING, Steel Wool Rusts, crumbles, falls away, leaving hole Open Again. Had to put wire mesh, [SS Screening] in first to hold S wool up, perhaps metal issue? i'm slow, learned hard way; Not strong enough Screen either.
Know any way to hinder\stop rusting, *please advise. Thanks*
Thanks!
As an employee of a major HVAC manufacturer and distributor, duct seal is commonly used for both interior and exterior use in installation!
Thanks for the feedback, that is what I have seen in my area as well
So duct seal is an employee of a major HVAC manufacturer and distributor?
@@paulparomaYes. Duct Seal works on the line with Emerson Biggins.
@@BigBuckGetter Of course! I should have known.;)
Is it Butyl rubber?
I retired from the phone company. We used duct seal to seal up ducts in manholes. When I retired 25 years ago, I grabbed a couple of bars for myself. After 25 years it’s still good! It’s great outdoors too. Hasn’t dried up in 25 years ! When I need it, it’s always there. I also use it like “museum putty”,
Same TELCO experience here in TEXAS with manhole runs as well as conduits in pedestals and building equipment room conduits. It was easy to spot because we could order it and keep some handy in our truck supply bins. Only difference was that ours came in SLIME GREEN, very easy to spot when supervisors ran quality checks. Electricians also used it as FIRE STOP which was a HOT PINK compound .
The US Navy introduced me to this product in about 1964. In that environment it was commonly known as “Monkey $h!t”. A valuable asset indeed. The most common usage was on penetrations between watertight compartments on surface ships and submarines. These penetrations passed vital cabling and piping systems both internal and external to the watertight hull and other compartments. I have personally been in situations when this material served as life saving equipment. During application, if you wet your fingers and smooth the external surface of the product, a shiny, weather shedding surface will be created. This stuff lasts for many years. I still use this product for home and auto applications of all kinds.
we still call it that you old salt. but we have to call it Nepseal just so the supply guys can order it!🤣
This is very interesting. Thank you for sharing. But about critical situations (life-saving equipment)? Could you provide more details? I suspect it's a good insulator, but I'm not sure if it can withstand high pressure.
Wasn’t this on Shark Tank?
My dad did a career in subs retiring in the late 1980s and called this stuff the same thing.
@@priceandpride No
This is a great product, I used it for installing a shower / bathtub faucet in the 70s. When I hat to change this faucet 45 years later, this sealant was in as good condition as when I installed it back then. I did not hesitate to use that same stuff again for the new faucet.
It's good to hear that kind of story--I knew it was good stuff but I wasn't sure it would last more than 10-15 years.
I was going to ask questions about this, but the comments have already been answering them! Thanks for bringing this product to wider attention!
For building exteriors I'd recommend butyl tape. It's outdoor rated and is commonly used to seal gaps externally (lap sealing of metal panels/roofing, roof vents and pipe flashing etc). It has a very similar consistency to duct seal, but again is a specific formulation for external use (flexible in cold weather, stable in high temperatures, intended to compensate for settling, has some adhesive properties). I've only seen it sold as a coil with a paper backing.
I've used it for filling in voids around the outside... Using it to fill under bottom of siding where it meets the foundation...Critters like to try to gain access so that's great material to fill any access holes ...It's paintable also
Electrical company used that goop to seal around the vertical conduit coming into the meter box about 20 years ago when my house was upgraded to 200 amp service. I kind of laughed inwardly as I watched one of the workers forming it in a cone shape, thinking "that stuff ain't gonna last - it's just Play-doh." But after 20 years of being bombarded with rain and sun, it still looks as good as the day it was applied. (And it wasn't painted over.)
I think one of the "secrets" to applying products such as this (I use Alex Flex caulk, for example) is to take your time and smush the product in tight with a finger and treat it as if it were a car paint repair blend at the edges. Neatness counts, but not just for aesthetic reasons. Caulk will fail if you don't do this - whether it's painted over or not - otherwise it will last and last, if it's a quality product to begin with.
I'm 72 years old. My Dad, who was in heating and air conditioning, use what he called moretight. It was good back then as now. This is excellent way to seal exterior gaps.
GREAT timing! I was just about to use spray foam on a tricky section of electrical conduit that comes off of my septic pump. This seams like I could get the job done under much better control! Thanks Scott!
That’s a good point.
Am i ever stoked about duct seal! Hope you are too.
@@somethingelsehere8089 LOL! Good one!
As a Rescue specialist for many years we carried this , what we called: " electrical putty", on the rescue truck for sealing or plugging punctured fuel tanks on rolled over vehicles etc... gasoline and diesel fuel did not affect it's sticking/adhering ability. Just saying...
Former fire Lieutenant here; we used duct seal for this exact purpose as well.
@@rescuegirl Any Butyl tape would probably work as well, but takes longer to cut and peel than this stuff.
Great video and I love when you pointed out about the exterior use. I’m a retired electrician and I’ve used this item a lot and it does work well except over time it does seem to shrink thus no seal anymore. Maybe if it is used to seal the penetration from the inside and maybe some kind of silicone on the outside it may last longer. Again a Great video!
This is a great product and I discovered it by accident a few months ago while shopping at Menards in the electrical section. Thanks for highlighting this excellent sealant.
Yeah, Menards is about half priced compared to Lowe's and Home Depot 👍
I have 35 years of experience in the electrical field. After I applied duct seal I used a little bit of silicone caulking on the duct seal. Without it the duct seal dries out and cracks. I've gone back to meany years later and ind the stuff was still good.
I used Duct Seal to better seal my A/C refrigerant lines set entering my home. The lines are covered with a sheet metal cover, and the sheet metal cover is sealed with silicone like elastomeric sealant, but I wanted the hole in the wall under the cover to be better sealed to prevent moisture and bug intrusion. I packed the Duct Seal in; I imagine it'll last a long time being covered and not exposed to sunlight and water. I painted the silicone sealant, so that should hold up really well too. 👍👍👍
I would say so 👍
I go to these extremes to prevent water damage. Back in 2021 I had to deal with a water damage problem in my kitchen. It cost me $8K to fix it all. Don't want to have to deal with that again.@@EverydayHomeRepairs
You're right. I used "silicone like" DAP Dynaflex 230 Premium Elastomeric Interior Exterior Sealant. It's paintable in 2 hrs after application. @@kurtm.7494
"I painted the silicone sealant"?
No, no, paint does not adhere to silicone sealant. If it were silicone sealant, you'd see the paint ball up into drops when applying.
@@elgringoec I used DAP Dynaflex 230 Elastomeric Sealant; it's not silicone. If I'm going to paint a sealant, I always verify that it's paintable. Elastomeric sealant is a very good sealant and can last a really long time and even longer under good paint. It's really good as an exterior sealant that you plan to paint as I did.
Really useful stuff and it stays in place and doesn’t harden. I’ve used it to keep bees from building nests in nooks and crannies.
I worked as a meterman for years. We used duct seal on the entrance cable entering the meter socket. I would dry out eventually. We were responsible for maintaining the meter equipment so we replaced the DS when we noticed it was dried and cracked.
The electrician that installed a new line into my basement used duct seal on the exterior where the line entered the house. That was 10 or more years ago, and its still pliable and still keeping the rain out. Thanks for the video.....
A low-key hero around here wherever there's an exterior wall penetration.
Good vid.
I've been a homeowner for 20 years and never heard of this. I do remember that my HVAC line into the house may have had this stuff on. I will check this out at the big box store. thanks,
Go to an electrical supply house
Seal the inside of the conduit too when transitioning thermal zones. When doing commercial refrigeration work, I was always impressed by light bulbs burning under water in ceiling mounted weatherproof light fixtures with a glass globe which were installed inside walk in freezers and the conduit wasn't properly sealed by the electricians (which was almost always the case).
This was used to seal where air conditioner line enters my house. I replaced it after 7 years, so did last long time.
Thanks for the feedback
How had it failed?
It is in very exposed area. sun heat caused it to dry and pull away from house siding.. My replacement is still good at 5 years.
Thanks for this info. Just the other day I was debugging my sprinkler system and opened the controller box where the wires attach to the terminals. Yellow jackets had created nests all around the wires. Now I am going to use this product to keep them out.
For the wires in the panel, it might also be worth mentioning that a great place to seal that up is actually at the LB entering your house. You can seal the inside of the conduit there, and there should not be any junctions there, so the wires are fully insulated.
I was just going to mention the same thing until I saw your post. When I had my 100A fuse box replaced with a 200A box, and the electrical inspector came out, he suggested I pack the LB with the sealant. 30 years later, the inside of my breaker panel still looks like new with no rust/corrosion or bugs which was unlike my old fuse box since it was not sealed. When you run things like vent fans and clothes dryers, that makeup air needs to enter somewhere into the home. One spot will be through the conduit if it's not sealed. If it's hot and humid outside and that air enters into your breaker panel, it can condense on the metal parts causing them to corrode and rust.
@@1957mrbill How true! My basement would get so cold in the winter when the wind was from the right direction. In the end, it was sealing up the inside of the LB that fixed the problem.
I am a diyer. What is LB?
@@pattijean3544It's a conduit elbow as illustrated in the video.
Hi Daniel! What is an LB? Thank you!
Thank you for this video. My HVAC used this to seal the PVC exhaust and intake for my furnace when it was installed a 4 or 5 years ago. It needs a little attention and I could not figure out for the life of me what it was!
I've used a boat load of this stuff doing electrical, but rarely exposed to the elements on the exterior. Primarily to stuff and fill conduit to prevent condensation transfer/leaks on the interior of the conduit where it enters and exits an external wall. Also on large jbox and equipment chases passing from exterior to interior, but not on the outside, only on the inside of the box where conduit connections are, or interior. We typically use a window/door grade silicone product like vulkem when it comes to sealing and edging around a penetration that will remain exposed to the elements. Duct seal won't stay adhered to the different materials like silicone/vulkem type compounds that can handle extreme heat/cold changes, and direct sunlight. This is best used to fill pipe's empty spaces, and seal openings that will not be exposed to the elements.
This is my favorite DIY channel. You have an uncanny way of posting videos about projects I’m just about to start. This happens almost every week, it’s unbelievable. Well done and much appreciated!
As a telecommunications installer we used it and then changed to silicone
I bought a block for a sealing the inlet of an electric meter fitting on a renovation job several years ago. Since then, I have used it on other projects that require sealing out water.
I was told by my roofer that spray foam as an exterior sealant is a bad idea. It's permeable so it can suck in moisture and that can cause mold in dry wall bays. I've been using Quad but I'll give this sealant a try. Thanks.
Used plenty of that stuff in the Air Force when sealing vacuum bags for fiberglass and various carbon fiber repairs.
Interesting, thanks for the feedback!
Good stuff Scott. Easy to use and forgiving as you say. Like this better than the foam spray as you can use as little as you need for small jobs. Not so with the spray foam!
I have helped install roof panels that were metal and we used something just like that for keeping the roof panels from rattling and side blowing water leaks and it made the job easier because when we had put a new panel down we could walk on it and it was basically stuck down and we could move it if we needed to change something . It was probably the same thing we used it for soundproofing on ductwork in the same building . Was completely water resistant if it was adhered to its surface .
Another option that my electrician recommended is hydraulic cement. It's pretty inexpensive, and you can get it in a small bucket that keeps it dry until you need it. Then you just mix enough water to make it like clay and apply the same way you did. Less forgiving though, in that it dries hard and solid. But works great.
I’ve used this on my RV in place of the gum tape for years and had no issues that I know of. In some cases I prefer duct seal over the gum tape the industry uses.
I use it to seal wires at the ends of conduits, especially in underground "hand holes" to prevent water from moving through the conduits and into places you do not want water.
Also works to control septic gasses that might migrate from the pump chamber and into the electrical control panels.
And helps keeps bugs from migrating into electrical control panels through the conduits.
Pack an LB or "condulet" body with the stuff, and not much will be able to get through.
had a repair call where the original installer put the septic control panel below the elevation of the tank. the control panel now has C condulets below it, with the conduits packed with duct seal, and weep holes drilled in them, and then the fittings into the panel also packed, and weep holes in the panel.
Can you use Duct Seal on wires themselves? I have a short, somewhere in my old Tacoma. Last night, my headlights came on/stayed on until I pulled the fuses. I'm planning on using WD-40 unless you recommend something better and then something to seal any wire breaks that I find. Any help that you can offer is appreciated.
@@arcanondrum6543 duct seal would be useless for that. if there is wire damage, liquid electrical tape would be an option. you'd want to be sure the wire was clean, before applying it. and even thin, it isn't abrasion resistant, so you'd want to go over it actual tape - and of course, fix what caused the problem.
addendum: to make it clear, duct seal has the consistency of play-doh. it's used to plug holes, and as long as it is held in place, it slows down water or air infiltration enough to deflect moisture intrusion. its not air or watertight, and it falls off easily.
I am an Amateur Radio operator, we use a very similar compound called CoaxSeal (nicknamed "Dinosaur Sh!t") to seal connectors on antennas. I have had antenna installations, some over 60 feet in the air, up for years - the connections were well protected from moisture. I usually cover the antenna connection with good quality electrical tape to help prevent drying. I have used Duct Seal to seal the cable entrances to the house with great success.
Thanks for this video! I've used the spray stuff and it doesn't last long and as mentioned it's hard to control. Will definitely buy this when I do my spring checklist.
So THAT'S what this stuff is! It seals the line from the street going into the top of the meter. Looks pretty cracked and I'm worried about rain.
Thank You!
Freezing temps combined with difference in expansion rates between the duct seal and exterior material will break it loose and you'll lose the water-tight seal. Not that this isn't a problem with many other types of sealant methods, though.
-30 to -35c climate here... used duckseal around conduit and hvac exhaust... still going strong 20+ years
In my area the electrical inspectors want you to at least seal one side of any electrical penetration coming in and out of a house. So either the lb on the outside or the TA on the interior going to the panel needs to be sealed with duct seal.
We have used it for 30+ years in southern California for things from sealing exterior walls to keeping manholes from rocking.
Thanks for the feedback!
There's a similar putty that comes in a paper separated roll appx 1/2 inch wide. Meant to seal lap joints in R-panel. This is outdoor rated.
I’ve used clear silicone, but It easily peels off after a year or two in the sun. I’ve had excellent results with a product called OSI clear I’ve had it last three years and it still looks perfect. It comes in a caulk tube like silicone cost a little bit more, but it’s my secret weapon
I suggest that in addition to keeping the clay wrapped, store it in a vacuum sealed mason jar or one of those jars that clamp down and have a gasket. It will ensure it doesn't dry out.
How are you “vacuum sealing” your mason jar? You using some kind of vacuum pump?
Easy to tell someone who has no clue, they make stupid comments that are impractical to implement.
@@stevebabiak6997lol…jeez man, a little harsh maybe ? 😂 He probably should have said use something with an air tight lid, but he did still manage to get some thumbs up for the suggestion. But even a ziplock bag would be overkill. This stuff doesn’t dry out.
@@billdivine9501 - ziplock bag to keep dust and debris from sticking to it. As you said, it remains pliable even when exposed to air.
I keep mine in it’s original wrapping plus a piece of HD black plastic sheeting.
It is a requirement to have Duct Seal on top of the Raintight fitting atop the meter channel which is typically outdoors. We also use it on the inside of condulets where they are used to penetrate the wall of a structure from the outside. This aids in combating condensation from forming due to cold air which not only flows but conducts a path before meeting the warm interior air.
I use Lexel clear as an alternative to silicone. I won't post selling points as I'm not a salesman for the product but I've used it for: controls, security and electrical installations. I've also used it for carpentry although I'm not a carpenter.
When you have everything from bugs and critters to the elements working on getting into your structure - 24/7/365 - you want something that will last.
Duct seal will age and form a hardened skin where exposed to the elements. Depending on the length of time exposed you can either remove that film or work it in to the rest and reuse it.. It's a personal choice.
Caution to homeowners when selling in Florida. Home inspectors may note this on the 4-point inspection, buyers will not be able to secure insurance/financing to close the deal until you have it replaced with an "approved" exterior solution.
Working on merchant ships, duct seal is used to keep water from pooling inside watertight penetrations. I have experienced that it does dry out and crack when subject to direct UV (such as on top of the bridge, etc.). To combat this, I've seen Denso tape used on top of duct seal to protect it from UV. I've also seen silicone used instead, but silicone fails much sooner (at least on brass connectors). Maybe silicone works better on PVC? Don't know.
My HVAC guy used this product to seal up an outdoor air conditioner connection on the south side of my house. It does dry out and crack over time. I replaced the dried up product with spray foam, but I am thinking about doing what you have suggested, and trim the foam and cover the foam with the duct seal. Thanks for the video.
I use it at work to cover motor lead connections. We bolt the lugs of the motor leads to the wires from the motor starters and then pack around the connections with duct seal. Wrap that with linerless rubber splicing tape and cover that with super 33 electrical tape.
This looks exactly like what I need for my AC lines going into the wall from my outdoor AC unit!👍🏻
I have used this for exterior sealing for many years, works great. I have no idea why it's not rated for exterior use. Maybe in dryer climates it will dry out and crack. I haven't seen that happen yet.
Yeah, that is my guess as well.
When my father-in-law helped us replace an outdoor spigot, he used Great Stuff to seal around the pipe and we hadn't had any issue. I think I may pick up that product for extra insurance because in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia, it has it own weather system that can seesaw between lovely, spring day to downright bitter cold in matter of 24 hours.
Yeah, it is nice to have a 1 lb block handy. Should be less than $5. Menards in my area it is only about $2.75 for a block.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs Unfortunately, we only have Harbor Freight, Home Depot, and Lowe's in town. However, in an earlier part of your video, it looked like you picked up a block from Lowe's.
Good deal. I'm going to use it for exterior use in the desert. We'll see if it holds up.
I've seen this used all over, but I've also seen contractors and DIYers use plumbing stainless putty the same way. No idea what the chemical differences are, but I had an old building inspector tell me plumbing putty is the easiest, but good to best quality goes stainless putty to duct seal to butyl rope (best). I do agree that the putties don't always last if placed in direct sunlight unprotected.
Duct seal is made from organic ingredients, which is why it's not ideal for exterior applications. Use Butyl tape (applies in a similar manner), as it's designed for exterior and UV applications.
Duct seal is a butyl rubber compound, and so it is not resistant to UV radiation. It should be protected from exposure to sunlight for long life.
@@kurtm.7494 either paint, or a urethane or acrylic caulk, opaque.
UV light for exterior use is a problem. Many people just paint over it with a UV block paint.
It has been used on my electrical box here in wetlands area southeast MA, USA since 2016 without any issues other than some discoloration. Started off a black color and is now a darker grey. I am able to manipulate it still as the material is still malleable.
Hope this helps. 8-9 years and going strong.
As a retired electrician I always had duct seal on my truck. Handy stuff.
I used it to fill the big deep gap of an electric main going into the house. It is at the north side in the shade. It has been about 7 to 8 years and still looks like the day I put it on.
Use this for sealing the hole in the bottom of your water fountain where the cord for the submersible pump goes out.
It DOES dry out over time. I have yet to return for service to a house that I have used it on. I have removed my fair share of it from services and panels that I have changed. I will, as a curtesy, remove it and replace with silicone on a service that I am not changing. I have switched to silicone caulk. I still use duct seal in conduit that passes through exterior walls as an insulation barrier.
I've quit duct seal altogether. STOP using it.
Videos like this is the reason I love RUclips! Thx 👍
You bet 👍
I just used some last week to hold a disc capacitor in place on a pcb board while I soldered it. Then, it easily comes off the board. Works great.
Another similar product that cures solid with metal reinforcement would be epoxy putty. Some common ones are made by ProPoxy 20, Oatey Fix-it-stick or JB Weld. Most can be painted too.
My brother was in HVAC for years, and gave me some of that. He called it "thumb gum". Lasts for years as far as ive experienced
I just replaced the duct sealant on the exterior of my house where it was wrapped around the AC line (where it enters the house). The duct sealant had been in place for 28 years, is located on the NNW side of the house and would still be going strong if the AC line hadn't been repaired. Great product.
Security camera holes. I thought it hardened 😄 🤷🏿♀️ I have to pull the wires out some, to add extenders.
Great video! Thanks!
We use it out side all the time works great.
I was saying prayers last night to find a product for this purpose. Voila! It appeared in my feed today! Thank you Scott for posting, and to God! I can’t wait to buy it. I have so many outdoor stuff to seal. It is amazing how homeowners do not maintain their property!
Just like you’re not supposed to put Q-tips in your ear but that’s the main reason 99% of buyers use it for.
This stuff is awesome. We use it on electrical service weather heads and where the SE cable enters the meter trough
I use this stuff to seal around my electrical boxes that I installed outside on my foundation.
I looked through the first 50 or 60 comments to see if anyone else called it Thumb Gum. That's what the HVAC installers in a company I worked for called it. We used it to seal the penetrations around refrigeration lines and wiring. We used it outside all the time. It looked like this stuff. It stayed pliable for years and sealed well.
Here in Scotland we call it 'Butyl' and, on a personal level, its uses are phenomenal.
I live in a traditional building with a couple of cast iron framed glass skylights in the attic. One year there was a particularly torrential rainfall that brought rainwater right into one my upstairs rooms. When I inspected the cause I noticed the water was coming through the cast iron section that's 'supposed to' seal against the outside, on the roof. One long section of Butyl tape, rolled into 'sausages', soon dried-up the leak. It's been sound ever since.
Another trick I learned from an online site dealing with repairs to boats; when fastening deck fittings - cleats, stanchions etc - always chamfer the top edge of the drilled hole that the bolt is going into (and secured from inside with a nut) then put a piece of butyl around the chamfered edge *before* putting the bolt through the fitting and into the hole. Tighten the nut from underneath, securing a tight fit - the fitting will never leak and is a far better, kinder, seal than any 'permanent' silicon. Butyl - duct seal - is very much your friend.
The man said in the beginning of the video about three times at duct seal will not Harden, it does Harden when is it supposed to the environment so it's best to go ahead and reseal the package after you use it. And every so many years check the places where you put it in case you have to ship out the old hard duct seal and replace it with new duct seal , because it does Harden!!
thanks for the laugh, I'm a second generation electrical contractor, yes DUC seal is used by us all the time, i remember my dad was working on my brothers house in FLA, we are from CT so dad wanted some duc seal ,they went to the Depot ,No body knew what it was Dad explained like you did a hour later and a forklift they found it high on a shelf , nobody knew what it was till that day LOL
I've never used it in the way this video shows, but it makes excellent back-stop material if you have a pellet gun range, and you use a couple of layers. Extremely quiet as opposed to steel pellet traps.
That was a handy tip.
I don't know if all spray foam does, but some when used on exterior, will break down in sunlight after a time.
Also some people say that mice will start eating the spray foam. I never had this problem but common feedback on the channel.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs Thanks, I've always wondered about that.
Last three contractors used this on my house. I recently found this in HD but I used a combination of Silicone and Duckseal.
Been using it in Massachusetts outdoors for 40 plus years. No problems
We use it for the main service entrance cable coming into the meter, which is outdoors
As a retired electrician with 55 years experience we quit using duct seal as it does over time get hard and being that pvc conduit tends to expand and shrink with temperature changes gaps in the seal would always happen leaving areas for water to enter.
Did you find a substitute for the DuctSeal?
Large Communications Buildings use the stuff as a Fire Block where conduit or cable is going between separate areas.
Anything but foam. Foam is hard to work but the main problem is the can is single use. So if you use 1/3 of it. Leave it somewhere for lets say a month. Then try to use it again, it's just clogged. Yes you cna clena the tube (easy) but the rest is always painful to clean with mixed results.
Great stuff and I have used it for a long time and for exterior purposes!
Thumb Gum used it for years in HVAC work....good stuff
Dow Corning finds 56 tons of unused Silly Puddy in storage. New product named Duct Seal rushed to market for DIY and Technicians.
My electrician used duct seal around the joint where the main power line comes into the meter box. That was 20 years ago and this winter it cracked, allowing water into the meter box and then into the electrical panel. Well that sucked, but 20 years of proper functionality beats a lot of my houses’ other construction details. And the repair cost $4.99.
keep in mind that duct seal is not adhesive. the reason it is used to seal electrical conduits is because it can easily be pulled back out if the wiring needs to be changed. that means if there is vibration or movement, the seal will pull away.
It does dry out some over time. It was used on the AC lines coming through my brick home back in 2018 & shrunk a little leaving a small gap. I tried reforming it to seal that gap but some of it was dry & cakey & fell off. I just removed the old & applied new.
I used this to seal electrical outlet box inlets when I had to run electricity to my bunny hutches. Didn’t want mice, the elements, or insects getting into the box. Worked just fine in -10 to 120 degree weather.
"Tool Belt of Knowledge " should be the name of your second channel. Great stuff man, thanks!
That stuff was colloquially called "dum-dum" back in the days of NTSC, landlines, leaded gas, and before spray foam.
Installers and repair folks used it regularly. It's easy to use and make look nice, doesn't make a mess.
But come back after a few years, and it dries out and cracks, loses adhesion, and likes to break away with any movement. That's usually not discovered until trying to figure out how the bugs and sometimes mice are getting in.
Oh, and it's cheap, too.
My recommendation, drill your hole the OD of your pipe, coat the inside of the hole thoroughly with silicone caulk, likewise the pipe itself, then force/twist the pipe into place. Then touch up around the interface on the inside and out. But only if you really care.
Thank you for your videos (and your channel over all).
Wonderfully informative and low drama. I always feel smarter when I finish watching your videos. Initially I found you on a search as I was trying to solve a problem I had in my house. Now I watch "for fun". Please keep up the good work 🙂
Thanks so much for the kind words and support 🙌
I used it to seal at least one end of the conduit so there is no air exchange, hot air in the house going through conduit can cool down and condensate and the water will run into your panel board