Answers to some of the questions we get asked the most.
This depends on several factors. In houses most often you do not. If you live in a concrete high rise then these ducts are longer and narrower. In this case a dryer booster fan is usually needed.
Most booster fans can be repaired. I carry all parts with me to repair the most common fans. If the fan motor is broken then typically I only need to replace the motor.
A secondary lint box (also known as a dryer lint box) is similar to the lint screen inside your dryer. Its purpose is to catch additional lint before it enters your booster fan and/or duct. If you have a long, problematic duct a secondary lint box will keep your duct clean. It is recommended that you have a very through duct cleaning done before or after installing a secondary lint box.
No! The dryer creates lots of lint which travels through the duct to the outside. If there is a screen then the lint will plug up the screen and the dryer will stop working. The best thing to have is some kind of flapper. If you absolutely must have a screen I recommend one that is 1″ x 1″.
Many booster fans stay on after the dryer shuts off, so it’s obvious that they are working normally.
Some fans shut off at the same time the dryer finishes. To check these, I usually run the dryer for about 30 seconds, then open the dryer door. I listen for the booster fan to shut off and wind down.
A booster fan should be quiet and should sound smooth. If it’s noisier than the dryer or sounds rough, then there is a problem. It’s best to stop using the booster fan immediately to prevent further damage.
Yes! I carry an air sled with me. This allows me to safely move a W/D without risk of damaging floors. Sometimes I need to get behind a W/D to repair a dryer booster fan. The air sled allows me to quickly get this done without any worries.
- Find a company that’s been in business for a long time. Check for quality reviews on google and other sites, make sure they are listed on BBB.org.
- Check that they are fully insured, including Worksafe BC.
- Find out who they clean your ducts. Some companies take short cuts to do very low quality work to make it cheaper.
- If there is any problems with the company follow up on their work?