Installing a HVAC Duct Booster - Part 1 of 2 or 3 | Man About Home

Installing a booster fan in an air conditioning duct - Making a cool kid.
There's a NEW REEDITED version of this video: • Installing a HVAC Duct...
(6/2/23) This has been in use for two full years without any problems at all. The entire system is working fine. There's NO validation for the negative, assumption based predictions, some keyboard experts asserted.
Link to part 2, Duct Booster Temperature Control: • HVAC Duct Booster Temp...
Link to Part 3, Duct Booster Relay Control: • HVAC Duct Booster Rela...
Link to Updated Duct Booster Relay Control video: • Update! HVAC Duct Boos...
Installing a booster fan in an air conditioning duct - Making a cool kid.
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[@manabouthome]

Thank you for watching. Please take a moment to click the like button. Your comments are welcome. However, comments are curated. Rude language and negative comments detract from everyone else's enjoyment and don't add any value. It's all about respecting each other, so those are removed. It's over a year since this video was posted. Here are some common comment topics... some of them may be helpful! 1. The problem: Low airflow in the ductwork is often caused by poor system design. It appears that's the case in my upstairs bedrooms. The number of views of this video indicates there's a widespread problem of many industry professionals doing poor quality work. We love to hear helpful, constructive comments from those professionals (and others) who conduct themselves with integrity, representing their trade in a positive light. But, several disrespectful comments have been removed. 2. Sealing / insulating ducts: It's really comical how many commenters still point out the unsealed ducts. Sealing and insulating of ductwork can be a good idea. It will improve system performance and efficiency. It's a shame that multiple professional installers didn't do it. It's on my long list. But I've survived 65 years without ever having insulated ductwork in any house I've lived in. I'll bet I can survive a little longer without it. 3. Controls: There are several ways to automate the booster operation. Please watch Part 2 and Part 3 to see how I did it. There's a playlist. If you're wondering how you might do it, I'd suggest also checking out a pressure switch. 4. Sound level: This HVAC booster is set to run at approximately 35% speed. That's all it takes to cool the room, in this case. So the sound level isn't a problem at all for us. Besides, we enjoy a little white noise when we're sleeping. 5. Airflow Balance: Too many commenters theorize or state that this booster will "take", "rob", "pirate", "steal" air from the other ducts. I didn't add a new duct to the system! They seem to ignore the fact that the faulty duct has always been there and has always been shorted on airflow. This is because that duct run was very poorly designed/installed. It's oversized for its length (doesn't reduce size over distance to maintain velocity) and has no less than FIVE 90 degree turns in it. It flowed almost no air. Adding the booster restored airflow balance in the system, by providing the faulty duct with the correct airflow allotment it was always intended to have. Rather than "pirating" air, I say it's Robin Hooding air! It draws no more air from the system than would have been delivered, had the original professional designed the ductwork correctly in the first place. 6. Static Pressure: When I installed this, I was aware of the potential to disrupt static pressure. Refer to number 4. I intend to check static pressure, but the entire house is cooling better than ever now. So, it's not off by much. 7. Quality: This AC Infinity, smooth running and quiet HVAC booster has a ball bearing inductance motor. It appears to be a good quality component, which bears the CE Mark. It's rated for 67,000 hours, which indicates it should last more than 10-15 years. Only time will tell. Check out: www.acinfinity.com/ 8. CE Mark: The CE mark is a European Union conformity indicator. Conformitè Europëenne Mark (CE Mark). I found this link that describes its purpose and intent: asq.org/quality-resources/ce-marking 9. Energy consumption: This HVAC Booster is rated 37 Watts at 100% speed. I have mine set at less than 50% speed, so it's similar to a standard CFL bulb. It measures at 23 Watts in my application. Thank you all for your comments!

[@jockoharpo2622]

Metal foil tape (not duct tape) (it's not even code) could help immensely to get airflow to that area. Also any flex tube should be replaced if any.

[@jockoharpo2622]

That fan booster wiill rob other areas from other parts of the home.

[@jockoharpo2622]

You have other bedrooms with the same issue? This duct fan will only add to them. YOu should go around and seal the ductwork. seams and joints.

[@manabouthome]

Sealing joints has been suggested many times in the comments. It's on my list. There's no flex tube. Thank you!

[@manabouthome]

It really hasn't made any rooms worse. Thanks.

[@theLOLskater98]

4 year Residential tech here. Primarily I've done installations, and service when the schedule allows. I just recently performed an install with 2 booster fans installed by the original HVAC contractor that built the home. We ingnored the booster fans and the customer called back the same day. We reinstated the booster fans the following day, and the customer mentioned that it restored the airflow. To say this isnt a viable, cost effective solution to a larger issue would be false. And redesigning a system can sometimes evolve into a very expensive and time consuming project. Im glad to see you took some action and experimented with this because i know sure as sh*t my ductwork in my home may benefit from an upgrade like this and this content only strengthens that theory.

[@manabouthome]

Yeah, sometimes the technically "correct" solution isn't the most workable or practical solution. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@breakawaybooks4752]

They've changed now the AC in our house works. Upstairs used to be hot even when AC ran 24/7. 2 boosters upstairs constantly suck cool air from downstairs even when AC is off. 100% worth using.

[@manabouthome]

Interesting! That's a completely different strategy for using these... Neither I nor any previous commenters would've thought of doing that. Sounds like it's working too! Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@roxanneleclech741]

Wow!!! Excellent instruction. Step by step. The results were amazing. Will have to try. Thank you

[@manabouthome]

You're welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@frankcoffey]

I guess one advantage is the cooled air will get pulled through the duct before it has a chance to warm up while still in the duct. That means getting colder output at the vent.

[@turnipsucks6416]

I'm certainly liking this bit of information! Thank you for the know how!

[@manabouthome]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@EASTCOASTIMPERIAL]

Lucky kid Learning lessons from the most important teacher

[@kingofcastlechaos]

Good video. I always use a thin bit of carboard from a Dr Pepper box to help me get those crimped ends started. it just extends the cone into the other end and then they get pulled out. Going to have to do this myself but it will be on flex (UGH). Thanks for the video.

[@manabouthome]

Thanks for the helpful tip. I used the first cardboard I could place my hands on, and it was too thick. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@mrdev5281]

Loved the fact you showed how tricky real projects turn out to be.. !

[@manabouthome]

Thanks for watching!

[@Goose619]

Hahah i was expecting the high setting to blow the register off the wall. Great job installing that. Should hold steady for years

[@manabouthome]

It's certainly overkill on high speed! We have it set at ~35% speed for day-to-day use. That's all it takes to cool the room. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@christophergeorge8800]

Oh thanks. You are a God send for this problem. Bless you

[@manabouthome]

You're welcome. Thank you for watching!

[@starshipcaptain4753]

I feel cooler already. Well done Mate!

[@manabouthome]

Thank you!

[@Bracketus]

Thanks for making this - I've been curious!

[@manabouthome]

You're welcome! Thank you for watching.

[@Peter-td3yk]

My hobby is rebuilding motors ..Replacing packing cleaning brearing material Polishing the shaft is a must multi steps.. Lots of diffo grades.. All motors need to be cleaned and lubed.. My 45 yer old ge box fan just keeps running.. Exhaust fan bath now 16 years old runs great..Usually testing amps and watts used will indicate motor needs servicing.. Lots of very precise tutorials on video.. But not all have all the tricks.. So accessibility is key..

[@manabouthome]

Preventive maintenance is always a good idea. However this booster uses a ball bearing motor (no need for shaft polishing), and is rated for 67,000 hours. That's 7.6 years of run time. Since the HVAC system isn't active the majority of the time, it might last twice that or longer. Only time will tell for sure. We'll probably start hearing bearing noise long before it fails. I intend to keep everyone updated if/when there's a problem, if I'm still around. Thanks for commenting.

[@OldManJimmy1]

The install of your ACs originally looks lacking in duct tape at the joints preventing leaks and insulation around the ducts to prevent heat/cooling loss. You're doing a great job just letting you know where you are losing efficiencies in your heating/cooling system.

[@manabouthome]

I'm aware. It's on my list, but not a priority. Thank you for watching!

[@barronweir123]

So tear the walls out and re seal it all :)

[@manabouthome]

@@barronweir123 Yeah. Some of these comments...! Oh, so helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@jspafford]

You need a duct silencer after the duct fan. They sell them. Or using insulated flexible duct helps with noise. Also insulating all of the duct would help with keeping the cold air cold or hot air hot. Also. Con-den-sation.

[@manabouthome]

Thanks. Noise isn't really a problem. Yes, insulation is a good idea. It's on the long list.

[@eightfigs3508]

What would one use for insulating the duct work?

[@manabouthome]

I've never done it. But I'd consider wrapping the round pipe with fiberglass insulation. And boxing the rectangular plenum/trunks with sheet insulation... like high r or foam board. I'd need to do my homework first.

[@jspafford]

This is one of my favorite hvac channels on here. He’s great. You learn a lot about what can go wrong. But if you take a look at the systems in any videos, you’ll always see insulated ducts. For sure on the air from the handler. And if the return runs through a unconditioned space, it’s best to insulate that too to prevent condensation forming. That’s just common sense. If ducts are running through a conditioned space that’s about the same temp as the main living areas, then you don’t have to. But if you want to be more efficient and not have heat loss or cold loss escaping from your system into the unfinished basement. And also for the noise thing. All those screws going into the duct work… a lot make whistling sounds. Plus the expanding and contracting of the metal as it heats up cools down and flexes. You’ll have less of that with insulation. thaisekisui.co.th/application/ductwork/

[@ModMINI]

Yeah how loud is it? I attempted to install one of these once and it resulted in unacceptable noise levels in the target room.

[@billrook6165]

On a similar note, when I bought my new heat pump, the airflow was weak. The installer told me that he could fix that. So, he set the fan speed to a higher setting. Problem solved. He said it had low, medium and high fan speed settings to choose from. He also said that most manufacturers sell their products set on low speed.

[@manabouthome]

Yes, a professional installer should know how to check and adjust the static pressure. Just turning the fan speed up without measuring that, has the potential to reduce efficiency... due to media residence time in the heat exchanger. Note: Edited for correction. Refer to Piney Prepper's comment below. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@pineychristian]

@@manabouthome I am a hvac tech. How you explain that the duct size is too small is incorrect. The reason why the air flow is weak is cause it's too big. As the duct goes further away from main trunk the duct has to be reduced in size to keep velocity up or to hit target FPM. That booster you installed is on a branch that is way too long off the main trunk . It was a poor duct design. There is a point when you can only reduce duct size so much because you miss the target CFM.

[@manabouthome]

Multiple pros have explained it differently. What you're saying makes sense. Either way, it was poor design. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@moneyydogg4318]

You don’t want to set it too high because then the ac won’t remove humidity the way it’s supposed to and it will cause mold in the ducts

[@chodkowski01]

@@moneyydogg4318 my variable speed air handler has at the end of its cycle a very slow air speed that says in the directions goes very slow to remove the most humidity from the house.

[@arkrainflood]

depending on how the upstream end of the duct is situated, the booster could be pulling in air from another outlet duct via a supply plenum

[@manabouthome]

Booster speed is set to around 35%. That's all it takes to cool the room. It isn't moving any more air than it would if the duct were originally designed/installed properly and flowing correctly without a booster. Thank you for watching!

[@akilla214u2c]

@@manabouthome but does the booster run smartly? Meaning, it only runs when air flow is detected. Or is it on similar to a ceiling fan, your son has to set the fan speed each time.

[@manabouthome]

Nobody touches it. It only runs when the furnace is running. Please watch Part 2 and Part 3 for how I did it (There are other methods as well.) Thanks for watching!

[@davidater9]

That is a possibility. To know the answer, we need a measurement of the amount of air at the intake pre and post installation. If the intake volume is the same, then the devise is just changing which room gets the air. Likely, the fan causes a slight increase of intake volume by decreasing air pressure and mostly pirates air from other vents.

[@manabouthome]

While some airflow at other ducts is being redistributed to the faulty duct, that doesn't mean this is an incorrect condition. If you think about it, the system was sized to provide adequate airflow to all of the rooms. This is confirmed by the fact that it quickly and easily cools the entire house on our hottest days... since the duct booster became active a year ago. Being that the poorly designed duct in question was flowing almost no air, excess air capacity was being pushed to other rooms instead. This simply corrects that condition. The proof is in the room temperature. It was hot, when other rooms were cooled. Now, the variable speed booster is set at approximately 35% speed, which delivers just enough airflow to cool the room, and no more, leaving other rooms with their corrected airflow. This is no different than if the duct was designed to function properly in the first place. That airflow quantity is now going where it was always intended to go. Thank you for watching.

[@timdgsr]

Keeping those 18V Dewalt tools alive in 2021!

[@manabouthome]

And 2022... so far! Thanks for watching.

[@ProArch]

I have seen comments about air sealing the duct work which is important. A bucket of Mastic is ~$20 USD. Start there then tape and apply more mastic. Lastly add insulation to every piece of expose metal.

[@manabouthome]

You must have also seen my comments that it's on my list. Thanks for watching.

[@lukeinferno]

Nice Kirby! Also, interesting video. I've known about register boosters, but nice to know about an inline in case I need to.

[@manabouthome]

Hah! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!

[@doyouknowjesus1132]

Definitely need to teach our kids these things so they don't have to fork out money to have someone else do it. But... I also learned that it's good to keep reputable company's going as well. Also this is a simple job that's not really worth paying someone else for. GREAT VIDEO

[@manabouthome]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for watching!

[@twiztid83222]

I was just thinking the same thing how I have to teach my little son all these tricks

[@twiztid83222]

I was just thinking the same thing how I have to teach my little son all these tricks

[@manabouthome]

Good for you!

[@davegrubb3897]

Recently had a 16x16 addition added to our home. Noticing the hvac tie in doesn’t blow nearly as hard in the new room, leaving that space 2-3 degrees colder than rest of home. Considering this exact fan model for our issue. Are you still pleased with it? Also, with the fan on do you find it is effecting airflow from the other rooms? Thanks for sharing your video and insight!

[@manabouthome]

The duct booster is still working great. No concerns or complaints. I might be imagining it, but I think my furnace's blower actually ramps up a bit when the booster turns on. Either way, all the other duct registers seem to flow as normal. I've never measured the air flow, but I got this comment from one guy, in response to a similar question. It might be a good idea to ensure your furnace blower is operating at the desired speed. He said, "You would have to take your static pressure ( return air and supply ) and make your proper adjustments for your fan motor." There are HVAC videos on YT that explain how this is done. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@vilo3454]

yes it was long, n could have def sped up some parts...but all in all a great demo of the difference made once installed and at different settings!

[@manabouthome]

Thank you! I'm learning this video production process as I go. Your comments are appreciated. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@MrMattDat]

Just found your video. Nicely done. Did you think about eliminating the switch and tying the booster back to your central AC controls?

[@manabouthome]

Yes. Please check out Part 2 and Part 3. Thanks for watching!

[@NRHTX1]

Awesome video and thanks for sharing. Question, will the booster kick in when the AC or heater turns on? Or does this need to be manually turned on? Thinking about getting a wifi electrical plug to turn on with Google Wifi

[@manabouthome]

Thank you, and you're welcome! It's automated to run when the furnace is running. Please watch part 2 and part 3 to see two ways I did it. I'm also thinking a pressure switch might be another good way to control it as well. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@valeryjohnson7937]

What happens over time if the vent get's block (accumulated dust or other...) - is this dangerous or hazardous to my furnace?

[@manabouthome]

I wouldn't think so. If you were to close one of your heat registers, all the air would simply go out through the other registers. But if your heating ducts have that much dust in them... well, it's always a good idea to keep your ductwork clean. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@scottkramer481]

Question for you...Is that booster plugged in and always running? I noticed the adapter and the outlet plug. I would have thought that the booster would need to ne hardwired straight into the circuit board so that your booster fan would go on as soon as the furnace fan was called on to start. IDK? This seems like exactly what I need for my sons room. Thanks

[@manabouthome]

It's automated to run when the furnace blower runs. Check out my play list for a lot more info. kzbin.info/aero/PLy4X9sohk8g2IrIbFvqt8Jy27h7Vqdp3M Thanks for watching!

[@kapdolkim1914]

It is easier to close some of the other dampers. That would increase flow to the room. Close each one maybe 10%.

[@manabouthome]

That's been suggested before. And was tried previously to anything else... including closing some off completely. It's worth trying, but it didn't make a difference in this case. This duct is simply just poorly designed/installed and needs help. Thank you for watching!

[@hammockmonk]

What a lovely work space. I’d hate to do that in my eighteen-inch crawl space.

[@manabouthome]

I've worked in tighter crawl spaces than that. I wouldn't want to do that either! Thanks for watching!

[@billnipp2309]

Do you have a return vent in that room? Also, maybe installing an air scoop where the take off is at the main trunk might grab more air into the take off but its too late for that idea.. and what tells the booster fan to come on? ty

[@manabouthome]

Yes, there's a return vent in the room. Your air scoop idea is interesting. Maybe I'll look into that if I decide to work on the other upstairs bedroom. However, one thing I learned after doing this, is that when the duct booster turns on, the furnace blower ramps up to maintain plenum pressure. So the other room is a few degrees cooler as a side effect of this booster anyway! Maybe I could have adjusted the plenum pressure in the first place? Are there any HVAC guys out there who can answer this question? In the Part 2 video ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZrYg5mYoNmbidU ) , I showed how the booster is currently controlled, and how I'm working on changing it to a different control strategy in the near future. But it's working fine as is. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@wd8557]

@@manabouthome You would have to take your static pressure ( return air and supply ) and make your proper adjustments for your fan motor. you can wire in that booster just into your hi speed cooling and call it a day. You want about 350 cfm per ton of cooling.

[@manabouthome]

Great information. Thank you!

[@kito1san]

That is like having your home ac that works like in the car with different fan settings.

[@sunnychandler8644]

does anyone know if arizona allows to use this kind of medal duct pipe, I never seen this kind .

[@BigTony2Guns]

Nice idea about putting painting tape before cutting the metal

[@manabouthome]

Thanks... Thank you for watching!

[@drewedwards8566]

Awesome Job!

[@manabouthome]

Thank you!

[@Dhoyos7]

Wont this create negative pressure in other parts of the ductwork? How do you make it sync with the AC or do you have to turn it on manually each time?

[@manabouthome]

Copied and pasted from previous comment. I get this question a lot! If you think about it, the system was sized to provide adequate airflow to all of the rooms. This is confirmed by the fact that it quickly and easily cools the entire house on our hottest days... since the duct booster became active a year ago. Being that the poorly designed duct in question was flowing almost no air, excess air capacity was being pushed to other rooms instead. This simply corrects that condition. The proof is in the room temperature. It was hot, when other rooms were cooled. Now, the variable speed booster is set at approximately 35% speed, which delivers just enough airflow to cool the room, and no more, leaving other rooms with their corrected airflow. This is no different than if the duct was designed to function properly in the first place. Please watch Part 2 and Part 3 to see how it's automatically activated. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@ares3914]

Now does the online inline booster take away the from the temp as you increase volume and velocity.? I've done inline fans got exhaust before but for heating and cooling you get more airflow and the heating drops in temp and. Cooling goes up in temp. Why I dont use them any more cuz I always get call backs because the air wasn't cooling or heating enough. You know homeowners always want miracles to happen when duct design isn't balanced or installed properly

[@manabouthome]

It sounds like maybe those systems weren't sized properly either. In my case the entire house is cooling fine, even on the hottest days - no complaints here! I can understand homeowner's frustrations, when they have a costly system that, as you said, wasn't installed properly. Thank you for watching!

[@69GeneralLee01]

Have you now been able to track and trend the temperatures? It blows but does it blow cold?

[@manabouthome]

It can only blow the temperature it's supplied. If you watch part two, you 'll see the cooled air supply temperature inside the ductwork. The room is cooling fine. Thanks for watching!

[@joeaubert7224]

Do they not make one of these that wires into your furnace so they turn on together? Seems like a simple 24v fan motor wired to G & C terminals would be cheap and simple. Or at least a relay input to interrupt the 120v supply.

[@manabouthome]

Yes, there's several different ways to do that. Check out my related videos where I installed a control relay. Thanks for watching!

[@photolabguy]

Just a thought on this booster so it doesnt run all the time. If you have a smart thermostat, get a smart plug for the booster. Set a routine to turn on the booster when the AC is on, have the booster turn off when the AC is off.

[@manabouthome]

Thank you for watching. Please watch my booster control videos to see how I did it. It turns on when the furnace blower is running.

[@Frankpagain]

Would wiring the duct fan to come on/off with the blower in the furnace be an option?

[@manabouthome]

Yes. There are several ways to do that. Please watch Part 3 to see how I did it. Thank you for watching!

[@MM-fh6kp]

Did you take the time to clean the ducking? Also I found vent ducking & routing is a mess stinks!

[@manabouthome]

No, I didn't clean the ducting. That's certainly not a bad idea. But I don't have unlimited time to chase perfection. Thanks for watching!

[@colinm1502]

A few comments. No tape on any joint? Are you not losing air at every pipe joint? Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t CE mean Chinese export?..

[@manabouthome]

Yes, I'm losing air (and efficiency) at every unsealed joint. I believe duct joint sealing is now a code requirement for new construction. But it didn't used to be, so it wasn't always done. My house predates that code. From what I've heard, sealing and insulating ductwork can correct a 20% loss in heating and cooling efficiency. So an upgrade to my ducts should be worth the cost. It's on my "to do list", after 100 other things! The CE mark is a European Union quality standard. Conformitè Europëenne Mark (CE Mark). I found this link that describes its purpose and intent. asq.org/quality-resources/ce-marking It isn't the equivalent of the UL or ETL mark in the US, which is required for all electrical (and other) products installed in any occupancy. But, at least I know this HVAC duct booster meets a decent regulated quality standard. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@Eddie2425]

This is a very small detail, and it really doesn’t matter either way, but I have found the tape goes on easier if you tape the joints, and then after put the sheet metal screws in.

[@manabouthome]

Thank you for watching!

[@rotaerceht687]

Thanks for video.

[@manabouthome]

You're welcome. Thank you for watching!

[@azim406]

hi this is interesting. do you thing the same method would also work for transfering cold air from air conditioned room to another room without AC? example: blower sucks cold air in room A into air duct and transfer the cold air to room B

[@manabouthome]

The blower moves a lot of air. I think it would work. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@azim406]

@@manabouthome thank you so much sir for such a helpful video 😍

[@azim406]

@@manabouthome anyway did the air out from the vent cool just like air cond’s?

[@manabouthome]

This is a central air conditioning system. So all the air moving through the ducts is cooled before entering the ducts.

[@azim406]

@@manabouthome okey sir

[@arthurlunais]

Is there a way that it can be hardwired to the unit so that the booster fan comes on when the unit turns on?

[@manabouthome]

Yes. Please watch Part 3 to see how I did it. There are other ways as well. Thank you for watching.

[@georgesmith8255]

I would definitely go around and put some aluminum tape around every single joint …I think your loosing a lot of air cause nothing is sealed.. just what I see…also this is a great idea.. I need to get one for my house for trunk line cause our den ne’er gets cool enough

[@manabouthome]

I'm well aware. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@pullingthestrings5233]

question is, what is the temp of the air coming out of that vent with the booster on?

[@manabouthome]

I've never checked it. It's cool. And the room is cool. The booster is set at 35% speed, because that's all it takes to cool the room. Thanks for watching!

[@stifflers69mom1]

I’m just wondering what happens when you lose power? Do you have to reprogram the controller every time?

[@manabouthome]

In part 2, I used a temperature controller as a quick way to get it up and running. If that looses power it probably does need to have the setpoint entered. But, in part 3, I show how it's been upgraded to a relay, controlled by the furnace. So no, there's no programming at all. After all of the interest and suggestions in the comments, I'm thinking a duct pressure switch might be the best way to control it. It looks easier to install and should only need one set up. It wouldn't be effected by power outages either. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@robweaver1923]

Wouldn't this divert cool air from other ducting and reduce the cooling in other rooms?

[@manabouthome]

No. I don't believe it does... Provided the system was designed to provide adequate airflow to every room, which appears to be the case. Since the poorly designed duct in question wasn't flowing its allotted air, extra air was being pushed to other rooms instead. This simply corrects that condition. The proof is in the room temperature. It was hot, when other rooms were cooled. Now it's set up to receive just enough airflow to cool the room, and no more, leaving other rooms with their corrected airflow. This is no different than if the duct was designed to function properly in the first place. Thank you for watching!

[@smeado3533]

I'd love to try this in my bedroom but my vents are 14" X 8" and nobody makes them in that size.

[@manabouthome]

Bummer. Thank you for watching!

[@paulnagy8116]

1)You need to ductseal your plenum and all your ductwork including pipe runs. 2)Fix those nasty elbows eliminate some if possible, remember 1-90 degree elbow= 5 feet of pipe. 3)Make sure you don't have a busted elbow behind walls and it's attached properly to your uto. Putting a booster will increase the air flow, cooling the air more rapidly. So in the winter that room will get colder the the others.

[@manabouthome]

For some reason your comments were held for review. 1) It could help, depending on what I want to achieve. But I don't "need" it. 2) Good information - Thank you. However, the system has been working perfectly for the last year. I'm not looking for unnecessary busy work. 3) No elbows in wall. Straight shot. 4) This has been in use for over a year. In the Winter, I had to slow the booster down because the room gets way too hot. Not cold. Thank you for watching.

[@jamessickmore236]

wtf you rambling about

[@Pseudify]

Why would increased air flow cool the room more in the winter? Fans don’t cool air, they warm air. If anything, it seems the fan will increase the efficiency of warming in the winter simply because of frictional forces on the blades and heat from the motor.

[@jockoharpo2622]

A zoning damper with a zoning thermostat. The dampers will close off other dampers during the call for cooling from a sensor in your son's bedroom. What about heating? The booster will help cool down the air as the fan booster is ruhning.

[@manabouthome]

No need to add dampers and zone thermostats, as this is working perfectly as is. This has been working fine for a year. I actually reduce the booster speed during the Winter. It gets too hot up there.

[@r.s.3320]

I was thinking you could have cut a slot in one side of the duct, where the plug was. Then recess the fan into that duct. Then the duct would have fit right back into it each other. No shortening of the would be required.

[@manabouthome]

Yep. Someone else brought that up. That would have been a good idea. I guess if I ever install another one , I'll do that! Thanks for watching!

[@XeniraX]

The only thing I wish you would have done is knock the sharp edge off of that pipe after cutting it, should always clean it, and when you put the tape you should have used some sand paper or steel wool before putting that on, really helps with the longevity of the tape.

[@manabouthome]

I agree. I knocked the burrs off. There's a lot of stuff I don't show... these videos get way too long. This system's been working trouble free for two years now. That's what matters. Thanks for watching!

[@DennisMathias]

So does that fan have a sensor that turns it on and off. Does it run all the time?

[@manabouthome]

It's automated. Check out Part 2 & Part 3.

[@Lavitz112]

Amazing that someone would actually install uninsulated duct work in a house. In the Deep South it would be pouring water everywhere from the condensation.

[@manabouthome]

This is as far from the deep south as you can get. There's no condensation evident in this system. And the AC runs less than 2 months a year. It's a beautiful 73 degrees today. No AC necessary!

[@Otw33]

Does booster comes with automatic turn on and off switch?

[@manabouthome]

No. At first, I used a temperature control switch. That was temporary. Then I used a relay, which is controlled by the furnace electronic air cleaner signal. Check out my HVAC duct booster play list for details. Thank you for watching.

[@XGalaxy4U]

If it works, seems like there maybe more pressure in that room, not getting good return to the air handler.

[@manabouthome]

Works perfectly... Yep, bad duct installation, any way you look at it. Thanks for watching!

[@LuisMuniz2]

thanks!

[@manabouthome]

Thanks for watching!

[@propbraker]

I usually just close the vents in the rooms that no one really uses. The laundry room, spare room, etc.

[@manabouthome]

I've been known to do that as well. Tried that here as well. It didn't really make a difference in the room in question. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@louisd95714]

Hi, being this has been impacting only one room, I am curious to know why the in line booster was chosen instead of using a register booster for his room. Unles I am missing something the only difference I see is that with register boosters, the air cannot be directed. But they are a lot more straightforward to install.

[@manabouthome]

1. I didn't know how much airflow I would need. A duct booster can provide more flow than a register booster. 2. I'd rather keep the ugly and the light pollution in the basement. 3. I prefer having the booster controlled by the furnace, like it is now. 4. I prefer keeping the wiring in the basement, rather than running a cord to a plug in the bedroom. 5. We know if there's something in the room that can be adjusted, a teenager will adjust it! Thank you for watching!

[@louisd95714]

@@manabouthome I see, makes a lot of sense. I just got a new system installed with an upgraded blower, so time will tell if I need any vents to be boosted more.

[@manabouthome]

@@louisd95714 Nice! From what I understand, if there's any problems with airflow, ask the installer if he set up your static pressure, before doing anything else. Thank you for commenting!

[@louisd95714]

@@manabouthome Thank you for the suggestion, and will do. It's cooling off the house nicely, but because a lot had to be done within the installation time frame, there might be more room for fine tuning. I also found out the house thermostat might be in the wrong location because it's in the warmest place in the room, which can cause the air condition to run too long. What I did for now is bump it up by a few degrees for compensation.

[@manabouthome]

@@louisd95714 Good luck with your new system!

[@zer0tzer0]

Cold air sinks, so raising the register towards the top of the wall would help. If you don't wish to change it you could either put a fan pointing up or install a reversible ceiling fan to draw the cool air up. Does his room have a return? Removing the heat is most of the battle. Adding some insulation to the ducts will help.

[@manabouthome]

There's an air return near the ceiling (where the heat is) on the other side of the room. Insulation is always a good idea... On my long list. The room is cooling fine as is, with the booster at approximately 35% speed. There's no need to do anything else with this for the time being. Thanks for watching!

[@johnbrass8910]

does it automatically turn on, when the ac turns on, if not, what a pain!!

[@manabouthome]

Yes, it does. There are several ways to control it. Please watch Part 2 and Part 3 to see two of them. Thank you for watching!

[@daniel_ukiah]

Great video, clear demonstration of the problem, process, solution and result. Video editing to speed up the monotonous stuff would improve the quality and would be more appealing for today's short attention-span audience 😁.

[@manabouthome]

Yes, I'm definitely in a learning curve on editing for time effectiveness. As one very successful KZbinr said, the way to learn how to make good videos, is to make a lot of videos. Your positive and constructive input is appreciated! Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@discorex850]

Many many how to videos tend to be very slow. That's 100% ok. Nearly every video on youtube can be watched at a higher speed. I watch almost all videos at 1.25 speed and sometimes faster. As the viewer it's your choice. Hope that helps

[@karmendimas5274]

WELL GEEEEEE ! TAKE your mousey and move the video ahead, is your hand TOO HEAVY!!!! ITS refreshing that he kept it REAL TIME,, hes real, not that stupid speed up videos!

[@saulg3587]

Nice Kirby vacuum!

[@mav48185]

I wish this would work for me but my duct work is all rectangular. I did get the ac infinity vent fan booster thing. Works great so far

[@manabouthome]

Ahhh. Rectangular ductwork adds another level of complexity. But maybe someone makes a booster for rectangular ducts? Sorry, I don't know. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@teytucker9504]

It adds complexity and in the end may not be worth it but there would be at least a couple different ways to make that work. If it's a square duct directly to the vent you could cut and have a square to round to convert it and then install in line at that point.

[@jwhite4]

@@teytucker9504 I did it in my old house. I cut an access panel in the existing rectangular duct. Then inserted the round fan there (ie. if it was a 6"x 10" duct, I put a 6" fan). The fan will boost most of the air. Then bought a separate piece of ductwork to cut larger than the opening, so that there was an edge for it to overlap and attach to. Maybe not 100% efficient - but definitely better.

[@teytucker9504]

@@jwhite4 thats awesome that it worked for you like that. Sounds pretty ingenious

[@daveconway8833]

Isn't trying to line up the male and female ends just a boatload of fun?! Lol. I gave up and i just crimp every male end and just assume it will be a pain if i dont. Also, that foil tape is heat activated. If you go back over it fast with a squeegee it will hold better

[@sheltdog8463]

Magnetic hex head driver bit with 1/4” self tapping sheet metal screws would make life a lot easier. Tape it then screw it.

[@manabouthome]

Tried that. Self tapping screws won't penetrate the booster housing. It isn't just ordinary sheet metal. Thanks for watching!

[@seangarcia2171]

Does this run full time, or does it turn on every once in a while?

[@manabouthome]

It turns on when the furnace is running. Check out part 2 and part 3 to see how I did it. There are other ways to do it as well. Thanks for watching!

[@revealingfacts4all]

Curious if you checked for leaks in your duct work. I have to imagine you did but wonder why closing dampers as you say in the video made no difference. It would have to make a difference unless you had a leak is all I could think of.... interesting product...

[@manabouthome]

There's 15 registers in this house. I tried closing 3 of them in rooms that don't need conditioning, and reduced the flow in some others. That wasn't enough to push enough cool air through the excessively long improperly sized duct to the upstairs bedroom in question... not enough to cool the room. As for where the air was diverted during that experiment, I'm sure it just went through the other 12 ducts. Thank you for watching!

[@dalekronk496]

I would guess the system wasn't sized properly when installed

[@manabouthome]

I don't think so. On our hottest days (feels like 107) the system is cooling the entire totally unshaded house with no problem.

[@chinoman7234]

Shouldn’t power on when the furnace powers up so you don’t manually have to do it ?

[@manabouthome]

It does! Please watch part 2 and part 3 to see two different ways to do it. There are other ways as well. Thank you for watching!

[@chinoman7234]

@@manabouthome thank you. Does the fan come with the probe unit?

[@chinoman7234]

Sorry different video

[@XeniraX]

You can never beat a good pair of tin snips, they work wonders.

[@manabouthome]

All my snips are over 50 years old!

[@TaRgEt0ZeRo]

depend on dfuct work, and pressur

[@manabouthome]

I agree.

[@mikemcelwain]

wire it so when a/c kicks off and on so does fan

[@manabouthome]

Watch part 2 and 3 and see how I did that! Thanks for watching.

[@Dontleavemedimi]

Shouldn't it be automatic such that it comes on when the ac comes on.

[@manabouthome]

Yes. It is. A lot of people missed what I said about that. Check out my HVAC Duct Booster play list to see how I did it. Thank you for watching.

[@chuckgates1171]

Going to be in the 100f this week here in 72209.

[@manabouthome]

We don't get those temps here. Our 10 day forecast indicates a high of 91. Stay safe out there!

[@davidsmith7731]

I thinking of doing this to move warm air to our rooms at the end of the house, the rooms are nice on summer days as they stay cool ,but in the winter too cool. We do not have a/c. Do you think it will work? Very informative video.

[@manabouthome]

I think it would work. I actually need to adjust/reduce my booster speed during the Winter here, because that room gets too warm. Please watch part 2 to see an easy way to automate an HVAC duct booster. A temperature controller would work well for your heat-only application. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@gphilipc2031]

How close to the register should it be?

[@manabouthome]

I'm guessing the farther away, the less additional sound you'll hear. I located mine closer to the trunk than the second floor. The location was primarily chosen for convenience. But far from the second floor register and closer to the trunk. The booster has a lot more power than I need. So I run it at approximately 35% Thanks for watching!

[@Suproxus]

I put a fan on the vent and attached a flexible pipe to the back of the fan.

[@manabouthome]

I bet you could make an awesome video about that! Thanks for watching...

[@MrFranke111]

Remove some of the elbows as well, every 90* turn slows the air almost 50%

[@manabouthome]

That's great information and provides further confirmation that the duct branch was poorly designed. Thank you!

[@pingchen7563]

I have similar issues for upstairs rooms, thanks for the AC booster idea

[@manabouthome]

You're welcome. Good luck!

[@Peter-td3yk]

Seal every joint and wrap the duct.. Or encapsulate with insulation.. makes a diffo..

[@manabouthome]

I'm aware. Thank you!

[@kevincowan7131]

what would u change about install ???

[@manabouthome]

I wouldn't change anything about how the duct booster is installed. It's been working perfectly since day one. If you watch my 2 videos about how I controlled the duct booster with a relay that's tied to the furnace control module, you'll see I updated the wiring a little bit. One commenter suggested installing the booster inside the duct without cutting the pipe, the way I did it. If I did this again, I would consider that possibility. Thanks for watching!

[@timmytool1231]

Seems noisy on high, maybe wrap duct with insulation, put further away from register?

[@manabouthome]

It stays set to run at about 35% speed, because that's all it takes to cool the room. So in everyday use, the sound isn't bad at all. Thank you for watching!

[@EASTCOASTIMPERIAL]

Hows the duct fan holding up?

[@manabouthome]

It's been working fine for over a year. No concerns. Thank you for watching!

[@MrFranke111]

Is there a return in the upstairs bedroom?

[@manabouthome]

Yes.

[@user-uk8ud1me2b]

At 1:28 in, is that a hole in the duct? Right before the turn and drop there looks to be a big puncture hole. Just curious what that is

[@manabouthome]

Yes, that's a round hole, with a purpose made plug in it.

[@user-uk8ud1me2b]

@@manabouthome not sure I follow, sorry. Can you elaborate?

[@manabouthome]

@@user-uk8ud1me2b Yes, there's a hole there. The hole has a plastic plug in it that was made specifically for plugging holes in duct work. HVAC contractors put holes in ducts to allow them to insert air measurement instruments for checking temperatures, air flow, etc. When they're done, they put plugs in them so there's no air leaking through them.

[@user-uk8ud1me2b]

Thank you! Good info, makes sense.

[@manabouthome]

@@user-uk8ud1me2b You're welcome. Thank you for watching!

[@user-qy9tf2im7f]

If you have the problem and want an easier solution AC Infinity AIRTAP T4, Quiet Register Booster Fan with Thermostat Control. Heating Cooling AC Vent. Fits 4” x 10” Register Holes. Does the same job, it pulls the air into the space and has it's own thermostat and actuator sensor. 10 minute install and setup. Same results. The have all standard Vents sizes with same mechanism.

[@manabouthome]

Easier isn't always better. A vent booster is worth looking into as well. However, like everything else, there are pluses and minuses to consider. 1. The duct boosters can deliver double the rate of airflow than the vent boosters can. So if you happen to need that greater airflow, the vent boosters can't provide the results you're after. 2. Another drawback to having a vent booster, is that a room occupant might fiddle with all those adjustments, trying to get more out of it. 3. Sound level is another important consideration for some of my commenters who are especially sensitive to sounds. A vent booster essentially places the sound generating fan inside the room. My duct booster is 30 feet from the room, and what little sound there is, is significantly muffled by the time it reaches the register. It's very quiet. It might be quieter, depending on your fan speed configuration. 4. It's important to stress, that whichever airflow booster one might decide on, the fan speed should be set just high enough to cool the room, and no more. Too much boost can create an imbalance in the HVAC duct system that causes problems in other spaces in the house. That's probably the most important reason you don't want someone fiddling with your booster configuration. 5. With that vent booster, you'll always have another electrical device plugged into a wall receptacle in the room... possibly on an extension cord. I wouldn't want that. 6. No average room occupant will ever know the HVAC duct booster is there, possibly including potential home buyers. For my application, the duct booster is the best solution. Thank you for watching!

[@davidm7824]

It needs to be wired up to the furnace fan motor or it will be running all the time.

[@manabouthome]

To clear up any confusion, watch part 2, where it was controlled by a temperature controller, and part 3, where it was upgraded to relay control, driven by the EAC signal. It could also be controlled by a pressure switch. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Thanks for watching!

[@big2bwill]

How does it hold up when the heat is on

[@manabouthome]

I have a short Winter Update video about that. I slow the fan speed a bit during heating season. It works fine, but hot air finds its way upstairs without needing as much boost. The AC Infinity HVAC booster is rated for 40 - 140 F, so this application doesn't exceed its maximum temperature limit. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@mrrjtrevino]

Sweet

[@manabouthome]

Thanks for watching!

[@sergeihanush2262]

for those who understand hydrodynamics of system this solution is not a way out. Yes, you increase flow in one duct but at same time you create additional suction power for one duct what makes flow in other ducts lower. to fix this problem whole system need to be properly calculated for existing fan..potentially reduce of duct work is required..

[@manabouthome]

It's unwise to make unsupported assumptions. If you think about it, the system was sized to provide adequate airflow to all of the rooms. This is confirmed by the fact that it quickly and easily cools the entire house on our hottest days... since the duct booster became active a year ago. Being that the poorly designed duct in question was flowing almost no air, excess air capacity was being pushed to other rooms instead. This simply corrects that condition. The proof is in the room temperature. It was hot, when other rooms were cooled. Now, the variable speed booster is set at approximately 35% speed, which delivers just enough airflow to cool the room, and no more, leaving other rooms with their corrected airflow. This is no different than if the duct was designed to function properly in the first place. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@StevenHull]

Really needs insulation wrap with duct tape or paint-on mastic. You could be losing up to 50% of the airflow and many degrees of hot or cold air. I'm should the booster does make the room feel better.

[@manabouthome]

I'm well aware. Thank you for watching!

[@ronniedwards]

Does installing a fan to cool down a room take air from other rooms in the house?

[@manabouthome]

I can interpret your question in two different ways. If you're asking about reducing furnace blower air flow to the other rooms, then yes, the booster could cause an imbalance and reduce flow to other rooms. Since my boosted duct originally had almost no flow, I use the minimum booster speed necessary to reduce a pre-existing imbalance. If you're asking if a booster can transfer cool air from one air conditioned room to another (Un- conditioned) room, as someone else once asked, I think it's possible. But I've never done it. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@ronniedwards]

@@manabouthome ok thank you for responding. I have two bedroom that are newly remodeled. Upstairs too. They are the hottest/coldest in the house. If I did the booster would my downstairs become hot? How to correct this imbalance?

[@manabouthome]

@@ronniedwards I'm not an HVAC guy, so don't take this as an expert opinion. First, is your attic adequately insulated? That can make a big difference upstairs. Then, before adding a booster, you might try having your static pressure checked (return air and supply at the heat exchanger/furnace/evaporator) I've been told we want about 350 cfm per ton of cooling. It could be possible your blower isn't moving enough air to begin with. This is adjusted by changing the furnace/evaporator blower speed. A professional HVAC guy can do that and also balance the system. In my case, I had lots of flow downstairs and almost nothing upstairs. I tried closing off registers and duct dampers downstairs to direct more air upstairs (rebalancing) and it made little improvement. Then, after installing the duct booster, I opened up registers and dampers downstairs and did my best to adjust for even airflow through all of them. To prevent the booster from pulling away too much air from the other ducts, I adjusted it's speed to the minimum setting it takes to cool the room. I kept an eye on a thermometer in there, and set the booster so it's just enough to cool the room, and no more. Our entire house feels good on the hottest days.

[@easkeybikes1966]

Short answer, yes.

[@manabouthome]

No. I don't believe it does... Provided the system was designed to provide adequate airflow to every room, which appears to be the case. Since the poorly designed duct in question wasn't flowing its allotted air, extra air was being pushed to other rooms instead. This simply corrects that condition. The proof is in the room temperature. It was hot, when other rooms were cooled. Now it's set up to receive just enough airflow to cool the room, and no more, leaving other rooms with their corrected airflow. This is no different than if the duct was designed to function properly in the first place.

[@lmena5696]

There seems the potential to damage the electric cord. A hard metal edge of the duct could do this during the fitting - sliding the booster in and out of the ducting to see how it best fits. The design needs to have a greater diameter protective ring around each side of where the control section is to prevent this unintended problem. Final fitting with screws and tape will prevent a further problem, like you have it, but not an earlier damage.

[@manabouthome]

Yes, one should be careful. Thank you.

[@dodge33445]

The question I have is.... Does this rob AC from the rest of the house ? I guess I feel like it would suck all the cool air and blast it into where the fan directed?

[@manabouthome]

No. I don't see it that way. If you think about it, the system was sized to provide adequate airflow to all of the rooms... which does appear to be the case. Since the poorly designed duct in question wasn't flowing its allotted air, extra air was being pushed to other rooms instead. This simply corrects that condition. The proof is in the room temperature. It was hot, when other rooms were cooled. Now, the variable speed booster is set at approximately 35% speed, which delivers just enough airflow to cool the room, and no more, leaving other rooms with their corrected airflow. This is no different than if the duct was designed to function properly in the first place. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@dodge33445]

@@manabouthome Thank you for your response ! I was curious about these because I want to get one for that one room in my house that always seems to be hot, with low flow .

[@manabouthome]

You're welcome. If your AC system was sized to cool the entire house (or larger), this should work out. I knew it would work on my system because the house cools quickly and easily on the hottest days... it's sized to handle the full load. If it's undersized, you might be disappointed. Good luck!

[@geraldking6403]

I asked about good air flow but poor heating in a bathroom.

[@manabouthome]

I'm at a bit of a loss here. This is your first comment on this channel, as far as I can see. Do you have a question I may be able to help with?

[@MAGAMAN]

Have an HVAC guy take a look at your system. I had burnt out coils and a few burnt out wires in the heating system in the house I just bought. The air was coming out of the vents at about 70F, which does almost nothing when it's 30 degrees outside. Once he repaired and installed the coils on our old heater, it made a huge difference.

[@langlebl]

I have to wonder if the booster pulls cool air away from other rooms in the house. Is that a side effect that you have noticed?

[@manabouthome]

While you're wondering about that, also think about how and why that might be exactly what you want it to do. I look at it this way - there was one duct run that is supposed to carry X amount of air to that room, but it wasn't doing that. Since that air wasn't going to the room it's supposed to be going to, other rooms were getting more air than they were supposed to be getting. With the booster now pulling some air where it's supposed to go, the system balance problem is corrected. This system has been working great since day one! Thanks for watching!

[@langlebl]

@@manabouthome You're exactly right. I hadn't thought that far into the issue. I have a few rooms that are as cold as a meat locker, and the one room furthest from the coil that has weak airflow. It's stronger than yours, but still weak. This could be a good solution to balance things out. My ducts are 7 inches, though. I can't find a strong enough fan that size to do the job. They're all basic exhaust fans for kitchens and bathrooms. I'm going to have to get one of those vent registers that has a fan on it. Thanks for your reply.

[@manabouthome]

FYI - When I looked at those vent registers I found that the duct booster style like I used is rated for a much greater airflow. It's a good idea to check the CFM ratings on the boosters you're considering using. Good luck!

[@langlebl]

@@manabouthome Thanks. I wish I could find a good 7 inch one. Sucks that my house is so weird. LOL! Thanks for replying.

[@jasonir129]

Get an 8” fan and adapt up and you’ll be great. 7” duct here too, no big deal.