Fantech Dryer Booster Fan Guide

The Dryer Facts:
When it comes to dryers, where is the perfect installation with little to no duct length? The reality which contractors and homeowners have to work with is far from perfect. A short dryer duct length is not always possible. This is where Fantech Dryer Boosters can help.

Under prime conditions, residential and commercial clothes dryers should dry clothing in a timely fashion. Problems occur when dryers are connected to long runs of duct work. This is the reason why most residential dryers are located against outside walls. The exhausted air is vented directly to the outside without complicated ducting to hinder the performance of the dryer.

Many dryer installations do not allow direct venting and the typical residential dryer cannot operate efficiently against the resistance created by the necessary duct work. The results are longer drying times, higher energy usage and costs, and excessive wear and tear on the dryer.
 

Some common examples are:

• Some common examples are:
  Basements that do not allow direct venting.

• Central interior located residential laundry rooms.

• Apartment complexes with centrally located laundering areas.

• Apartment complexes with individual hook-ups for dryers in each apartment.
   

TYPICAL FAN PROBLEMS:

• Conventional types of booster fans present the following.
• Their blades clog with lint
• The blower cannot handle the long runs of duct any better than the blower in the dryer
• The motor cannot handle the heated air from the dryer and tends to overload
• How to turn the booster fan on with the dryer

When to boost a dryer. Typical residential dryers are rated at 160cfm. However, boosting is generally needed in order to maintain a minimum airflow of 100cfm as duct length increases and bends are introduced in the duct line.

Based on surveying the recommendations from dryer manufacturers, and local building codes in selected areas, dryer boosting is typically required when the duct length exceeds the following:

Fantech models DBF 110, DBF 4XL and RVF 4XL are all suitable for most dryer boosting applications. Generally the models listed can be used for maximum duct length of 60 linear feet with a maximum of six elbows using four inch rigid duct. For longer duct runs please contact our technical department for specific recommendations.