Duct Tape Myths
Duct tape is touted as one of the essential items that should be in every home. The heavy-duty, multipurpose tape has been an inspiration for websites and books. Couples have even made prom dresses and tuxedos from the fabric-reinforced material. But don't believe everything you read about duct tape. Duct tape myths abound despite some believable claims.
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In History
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"Duck" tape is sometimes said to be a mispronunciation of the term duct tape. In reality, both names have been used.
The tape was first used by the military in 1942. Permacel, a division of Johnson & Johnson Co., fused a polycoat adhesive with a polyethylene coating to create a flexible, waterproof and extremely strong tape. The Army used this tape to seal canisters and to repair vehicles and cracked windows. The military nicknamed this tape "duck tape" because it could repel water. After World War II, more civilians began using the tape, particularly to hold ducts together; it then became known as duct tape. In 1985, Jack Kahl, former CEO of Manco Inc., created a brand of the tape called Duck Tape. The Duck Tape brand is used to sell more than just duct tape and includes other types of adhesives.
In Homes
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According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Environmental Energy Technologies Division, duct tape is not durable enough to seal home heating ducts. The division conducted studies on using duct tape to seal leaks; researchers found that duct tape will not stand up to the challenging conditions the ducts present and, over time, the tape will fail.
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In Nature
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The myth that duct tape can seal windows to keep them from breaking in a hurricane was debunked during the Florida governor's hurricane conference on May 14, 2009. During the conference, emergency officials demonstrated that this myth was false by having a softball player pitch softballs going about 35 mph at a window taped with duct tape. The window broke every time. The officials pointed out that, in a hurricane, heavier objects would be flying at much faster speeds. In those cases, duct tape would not prevent the windows from breaking. In fact, they said, duct tape may cause a more dangerous projectile by holding pieces of jagged glass together, rather than having the glass shatter into smaller, less harmful pieces.
As Lifesaver
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Duct tape has been recommended for use in case of biological attack. In February 2003, former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge recommended that Americans stock up on duct tape and plastic sheeting to protect against chemical or biological attacks. According to the University of Utah's Genetic Science Learning Center, sealing off a room with plastic and duct tape will slow the movement of air into a room from the outside, but it will not seal up the room completely.
As Spoofs
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One myth circulating states that, after hearing Tom Ridge's recommendations to protect against chemical or biological attack, a California man duct-taped his private parts to protect them against harm. The myth states the man is suing Tom Ridge for emotional distress. Radio station personality Phil Hendrie created this story as a spoof for his radio show. During his show, he "interviewed" fictional character Steven Boswell, the supposed originator of the lawsuit (played by Phil Hendrie). In the spoof, Steven Boswell taped up his home and realized he needed to protect his privates to reproduce and repopulate the world after attacks. Removal of the duct tape, he said, caused damage to his privates, removing skin and hair. Also named in this mythical duct tape lawsuit is former President George W. Bush for hiring Tom Ridge.
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- Photo Credit Rissa Watkins
