Adhesive Tapes & Sealants
Frequently Asked Questions about Ducting Tapes
Aluminium tape or PVC tape — which one for what?
Aluminium tape is the choice for anything that gets warm and has to stay sealed: pure aluminium with an acrylic rubber adhesive, 50 mm wide, 50 m per roll. It is moisture resistant, UV resistant, works as a vapour barrier and conforms to uneven surfaces — exactly what an aluminium flex duct run needs.
PVC tape (50 mm × 10 m, white) is meant for connection points in the duct system, for example between duct and fan, and as additional insulation. Its temperature range ends at +50 °C, so it belongs on the intake side and on cold sections, not directly on hot exhaust.
Which version of the aluminium tape suits my exhaust?
There are four versions, differing mainly in heat resistance: silver up to 100 °C, black up to 120 °C, reinforced up to 90 °C and the high-temperature version up to 350 °C. All are 50 mm wide and 50 m long, and are applied from +5 °C upwards.
For a miner exhaust run the standard version up to 100 °C is sufficient — ASIC exhaust air stays well below that. The black version is for runs that remain visible and should match black components, the reinforced one for mechanically stressed spots. The 350 °C version targets applications outside mining.
How do I seal a joint between two hoses?
Two aluminium flex ducts are coupled with an inner connector that both ends slide onto. Then wrap the aluminium tape once fully around the joint, with clear overlap onto both duct sides, and press it into the corrugations.
The surface matters: it has to be clean, dry and free of grease, otherwise the adhesive will not hold long term. If there is any pull on the joint, add a hose clamp — the tape seals, the clamp holds.
Air is escaping at the shroud port — clamp or tape?
Check the clamp first: is it centred on the overlap, and is the hose pushed far enough onto the port? That is usually the cause, and retightening is enough.
If it still leaks, lay a strip of aluminium tape over the transition from hose to port and run it all the way around. Leaks cost airflow and add an audible hiss — worth the minute of work in a setup that is meant to get quieter.
Can I use the aluminium tape on insulated hose as well?
Yes. The tape is explicitly intended for joining aluminium-faced insulation boards and combining vapour barriers — so the outer skin of the insulated ducting hose can be closed with it cleanly.
In practice: fix the inner duct on the port with a clamp, then pull the insulation and the outer foil over the joint and tape all the way around with aluminium tape. That keeps the insulation layer continuous so you lose no heat at the connection.
What should I watch out for when applying and storing the tape?
Apply it to clean, smooth and dry surfaces; dust and grease are the most common reasons a tape lifts at an edge later on. Peel the silicone paper liner off just before applying, then press the tape down with a flat hand.
Do not leave rolls in the sun, and do not store them above 23 °C at more than 50 % humidity. The aluminium tape is classified as non-flammable to DIN 4102 B1 and bonds well at low temperatures too.