Many homeowners notice hot or cold spots in different parts of the home. If uneven temperatures are making certain rooms uncomfortable, air duct booster fans offer a fast and affordable solution to mitigate notable temperature differences from room to room.

Before you commit, learn why booster fans are short-term solutions that don’t address the underlying causes of uneven airflow.

What Is a Duct Booster Fan?

Booster fans go by several names, but they aren’t all quite the same.

Duct booster fans—also known as inline boost fans, are installed inside the ductwork itself. For HVAC systems needing a little extra muscle, booster fans for air ducts certainly make sense. These add-on devices replace the existing air vent cover with an electrical fan designed to pull more treated air through that specific vent.

Air vent booster fans – Also known as register fans, these devices are installed on the air vent or register and plugged into a nearby electrical outlet.

In theory, both types of booster fans deliver more treated air to rooms that need it. These devices cost anywhere between $75 and $300 depending on the model, capacity, and other factors.

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.

Do Duct Booster Fans Work?

In many cases, duct booster fans reduce temperature differences between rooms; they do work. Unfortunately, they don’t address the underlying causes of poor HVAC performance in the first place.

Hot or cold spots in the home are usually caused by:

  • Leaking ductwork
  • Wrong-sized ductwork
  • Underpowered heating or cooling equipment
  • Malfunctioning HVAC equipment
  • Poor insulation
  • Drafty doors and windows
  • Dirty air filters

Installing an inline booster fan or air vent booster fan won’t fix these problems.

Running duct or air vent booster fans while experiencing these issues may ultimately cause more harm than good by overworking your HVAC equipment, shortening its functional lifespan, and increasing the need for costly emergency repairs.

Before purchasing either type of booster fan, contact your local One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning to explore more sustainable ways to improve your home’s airflow long-term.

Read more: How Often Should I Have My Ductwork Cleaned?

Ductwork Sealing: The Lasting Solution

One of the most common causes of hot or cold spots is dirty or leaky ductwork. This reduces airflow volume, which means there’s less warm or cold air to meet demand evenly throughout your home.

Professional ductwork sealing addresses this underlying, nearly invisible issue to heat and cool your home evenly and keep your family comfortable all year long.

Sealed ductwork can also improve indoor air quality and save homeowners money compared to replacing ductwork entirely.

Give Your HVAC System a Boost

Air duct and air vent boosters provide a short-term solution for a long-term, structural problem. To identify and address the underlying cause of your home’s hot and cold spots, find your local One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning or call (800) 893-3523 today.