Do Duct Booster Fans Work? In many cases, duct booster fans reduce temperature differences between rooms; they do work.
Duct booster fans can help improve air circulation in specific cases, but they're not always the best solution. Addressing underlying HVAC problems, like blocked vents or duct leaks, might be more effective and could be the answer to your air distribution problems.
The best place for a duct booster is about half way between the two ends. This allows the booster to create lower static pressure and more air to flow though the ductwork.
Duct Fan Boosters: Boosters are less flexible in terms of operation. They are often set to run continuously or are controlled by simple on/off switches.
Inline duct fans require the most efficient EC motors to deliver the most air at its quietest. They also use a mixed flow impeller that further reduces noise and allows for exhaust applications in high static pressure areas. On the other hand, duct booster fans use AC motors while still energy-efficient, are louder.
The average cost of installing a booster fan is around $250 dollars, give or take depending on the size of your home and ease of access to your ductwork.
It really doesn't matter.
Although it is perfectly safe to run HVAC continuously, there are a few times you should shut it down. First, if your home is experiencing high summer temperatures and you have ductwork in the attic. It is difficult for even the best-insulated systems to fight off extreme temperatures.
The recommended location of the booster fan is a minimum of 15 linear (not equivalent) feet of duct from the dryer outlet. If the fan is mounted closer than the recommended 15 feet, it may develop enough pressure to lift wet lint into the fan impeller resulting in excessive lint loading in the fan.
Increased Energy Consumption: While running your furnace fan continuously has benefits, it comes with a cost. Continuous fan operation consumes electricity, which can lead to higher energy bills. However, this increase is generally offset by the improved efficiency and comfort it provides.
Duct booster fans are usually equipped with a pressure-sensitive switch or thermostat. When the HVAC system kicks on, and airflow reaches a predetermined threshold, the booster fan is activated. This means the booster fan only runs when needed, conserving energy.
They are usually located in central, larger rooms to more efficiently pull air from the home and into the system. Return air vents are often located on a wall, rather than the floor or ceiling.
If your fan is running but not working “there's a potential that the duct is unattached,” Danielson says, or has a hole or tear. Also, ductwork that has too many turns or is too long can inhibit air pull. In this case, “the fan is not strong enough to push the moist air through the entire length,” Pollack says.
Ideally, there should be a temperature differential of around 14° to 20° Fahrenheit between the incoming air and the air being blown out by your air conditioner. This means that if the air entering the system is 75°F, the air coming out of the vent should be between 55°F and 61°F.
For maximum performance and minimum noise, the best location to install your In-Line Duct Fan™ is 6 - 10 feet from the register you wish to boost air to. To prevent air leaks use a good quality duct tape to seal seams in the ductwork after installing the In-Line Duct Fan™.
The cost of installing or replacing a dryer vent is $200 on average, or between $140 and $600, depending on labor and material costs.
Meet building codes. Some applications will require a dryer booster to keep the home safe. For example, The International Mechanical Code limits duct runs to 35 feet or less unless an engineering judgment can be made allowing a longer run.
Some dryer vent installations also have an external lint trap, which is also known as a secondary dryer lint trap or a 4″ In-Line Dryer Lint Trap.
You should also be cautious of running your furnace fan continuously if you have ductwork in your attic and it's a hot summer day. Since heat rises, the temperatures up there could reach around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, the fan could pull heat from the attic into your home.
With a furnace blowing cold air, the first question you should ask is if the furnace has been turned ON. Two thermostat issues that could cause your furnace to blow cold air include (1) your thermostat is still set to COOL, not HEAT and (2) your thermostat fan is set to ON, not AUTO.
Since the AUTO setting means the fan is only engaged when the system is on, rather than constantly blowing, AUTO is the most energy-efficient option between the two settings. This means you'll be using less energy and saving money on your electric bill by using the AUTO setting.
In practice, duct booster (inline) fans tend to deliver more air more effectively, and we typically recommend them over air vent booster fans as long as there aren't mitigating factors; we'll get into those issues below.
Puller fans provide more cooling capacity than pusher fans. The determining factor on whether to use a puller fan or a pusher fan is the amount of room you have. Always choose a puller fan but if space is an issue then use a pusher fan.