Duct insulation guide
Zip-Ez vs Tie Wire for Duct Insulation
Tie wire has held duct wrap on for a long time, and it still works. We make Zip-Ez™, so read this knowing that. Here is how the two compare on the things a crew actually notices.
How each one goes on
Tie wire
Wrap the wire around the duct and insulation, twist it tight with pliers, cut the tail. Then do it again at the next spot. It takes two hands, so on an overhead run you are holding the wrap up with your head or waiting on a second person. The cut ends are sharp, and gloves do not last long.
Zip-Ez™
Slip a disc over a #8 x 1 in hex washer-head self-drilling screw, set it on the overlap, and drive it into the duct with your drill. One per foot. One hand holds the wrap, the other runs the drill.
Side by side
| Tie wire | Zip-Ez™ | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Slow: wrap, twist, cut | At least 2x tie wire |
| Hands | Two | One plus the drill |
| Tools | Pliers, cutters | Your drill |
| How it holds | Wire around the duct | Screw into the duct |
| Sharp ends left behind | Yes | No |
| Rigid foam board | Wire can crush the edges | Yes |
| Leakage at the fastener | No penetration | Zero measured (Duct Blaster, 2010) |
Where tie wire still makes sense
If you only wrap a duct now and then and there is a spool on the truck, tie wire does the job. It does not go through the duct, so there is nothing to test. The case for switching is labor: on a crew that wraps duct every week, the time per fastening point adds up fast.
The leakage question
A screw through the duct is a fair thing to worry about. In April 2010 an independent BPI-certified HERS rater tested Zip-Ez™ with a Minneapolis Duct Blaster at 25, 50 and 100 Pa, before and after the fasteners went in. Zero air leakage was measured at the fastener penetrations, and fog and a smoke pencil showed none. Read the test report.
Approximately 250 per bag. Works on duct wrap, fiberglass duct insulation, bubble reflective insulation and rigid foam board. Patented design, made in the USA.
Comparing more than two?
Tape, stick pins and weld pins are covered in duct insulation fasteners vs pins vs tie wire vs tape, and the full wrapping process is in how to install duct wrap insulation.
Questions
Is Zip-Ez faster than tie wire?
Yes. It goes at least twice as fast as tie wire.
Does a screw through the duct cause leaks?
In an independent April 2010 Duct Blaster test at 25, 50 and 100 Pa, zero air leakage was measured at the Zip-Ez fastener penetrations.
What screw do I use?
We use a #8 x 1 in hex washer-head self-drilling sheet metal screw. Screws are not included.
Does it work on foam board?
Yes. Zip-Ez works on duct wrap, fiberglass duct insulation, bubble reflective insulation and rigid foam board.