Your typical home dryer can vent up to 25 feet without assistance. However, if your dryer exhaust vent is longer than 25 feet, you start running into problems. An exhaust vent longer than 25 feet means less airflow further down the vent run, which can lead to lint buildup inside the vent, which reduces dryer performance and becomes a fire hazard. With that much trouble coming from a long exhaust vent, how do we solve this?
The answer is a dryer booster fan. It’s specifically made to increase airflow in your dryer vent so that lint and dryer exhaust can be safely carried away through the entirety of your vent instead of building up somewhere in the middle. There are a lot of booster fans available on the market because they’re commonly used in ventilation, but that doesn’t necessarily make them a good dryer booster fan.
This is why we’ve written this guide. We’ve sorted through the booster fans on the market to find out which one is the best dryer booster fan. You can pick any of the models below to install in your dryer exhaust vent and trust that you have a good one.
Top 8 Dryer Booster Fans, Which One To Buy?
So, what is the best dryer vent booster fan? The answer to that ultimately depends on your budget and your specific needs. We’ve picked out eight standout dryer booster fans so that you can decide which one is the best for you.
1# Fantech DBF 110 Dryer Booster Fan- My Top Pick
At its heart, the problem of dryer exhaust isn’t anything new. Fantech is a proven brand in making ventilation products, and their DBF 110 combines both simplicity and excellent power for its class.
It’s an inline fan, installed right into your dryer exhaust vent. Airflow is quite good at 188 CFM, and it can handle a duct length of up to 120 feet or equivalent. It’ll take up 11 inches of your exhaust vent, and it’s 10 inches wide. Make sure that you have room to install the DBF 110 in your intended spot, and don’t forget to leave room for the mounting bracket and wiring.
It’s an excellent, well-performing dryer booster fan that provides quite a bit of airflow. It’s relatively simple to install, needing just a bit of hard work and some DIY knowledge, and beyond that, it doesn’t need any fiddling. Once it’s in place, all it needs is maintenance every so often (twice a year will do) and it’ll chug along.
There are two concerns you’ll need to mind. Most complaints with the DBF 110 relate to the pressure switch, as it either dies after a few months or is balky and prone to fault. The other is that the mounting bracket isn’t quite strong enough for the DBF 110’s weight, tending to sag. You may want to reinforce it or rig up a better bracket.
Problems aside, it’s still our first choice for the best dryer booster fan. You won’t go wrong with the Fantech DBF 110.
2# Tjernlund LB2- Reduces Drying Times & Saves Energy
There are times when your exhaust duct stretches all the way, and you have to ask, what is the best dryer duct booster fan for long runs? We’ve got that need covered with the Tjernlund LB2.
The LB2 provides 160 CFM of airflow and it can provide venting out to 150 feet or equivalent. It’s a pretty chunky thing, as it’s 14 inches wide and 10.5 inches tall. It occupies around 8 inches of space on your dryer vent, and the offset between inlet and outlet is 6.25 inches (measured from the center of each duct). Make sure you have the necessary room to fit the LB2 and the offset.
Thanks to how its fan is structured, it also comes with a 5-year no-clog guarantee. It’s also the main reason that it’s offset instead of in-line. It occupies a bit more space, but the fan is much less likely to clog up with lint. Regular maintenance is still advisable, but you won’t be going in every month just to unclog the LB2.
The main downside is the rather high price. It’s a competent device and you’ll get what you pay for, but if you have a restricted budget or if your vent run isn’t as long, you can get something almost as good for cheaper. Consider if the LB2 is exactly what you need before getting it.
Expense aside, the Tjernlund LB2 is an excellent dryer booster fan that will solve all your vent run problems.
3# Tjernlund M-49504351 Inline Dryer Booster Fan
While there are dedicated dryer booster fans, you can do much of the same job with a non-dedicated booster fan.
The Tjernlund M-49504351 is in-line, as the name indicates, taking up 7.64 inches on your vent run. It provides 200 CFM of airflow, and can extend your vent run out to about 100 feet or equivalent. It occupies a circle 9.57 inches in diameter, so you’ll need that much room for the fan itself and the mounting bracket.
The LB2 is a dedicated dryer booster fan, built specifically for the purpose, while the M-49504351 is a general duct booster fan that can also be used for other purposes, like adding airflow to your HVAC system. That is, if you already have an M-49504351 on hand for whatever reason, you can rig it up on your vent run to serve as a dryer booster fan. It’s also the cheapest of the fans we’ve listed here.
The M-49504351’s major downside is in installation, as it relies on a current sensor instead of a pressure sensor, and the included instructions don’t show how to install the sensor. It’s not technically all that complicated to install, but it can be a daunting prospect, and better, clearer instructions to install the current sensor would make us feel a lot better about this product. Install with caution, and if in doubt, grab an electrician friend to help you out.
All told, it’s a good and powerful booster fan. Once you’ve got it mounted and wired up, the Tjernlund M-49504351 will keep your dryer running smoothly.
4# Acme 9460 Vent Booster for Clothes Dryers
The Acme 9460 is a fan that’s also a 90-degree duct elbow. In-line fans tend to have trouble with lint buildup, which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid. An offset or elbow fan is better at staying lint-free.
It provides 120 CFM of airflow and can handle a run of up to 100 feet or equivalent. It’s a fairly chunky thing, 15 1/2 inches tall on its rubber feet. Make sure to pay attention to the stickers indicating direction when you install it, as it works only one way, and installing it the wrong way around will be highly irritating.
It also doesn’t need a lint trap because there’s no place for the lint to build up in the booster unit. The only thing in the air stream is the fan blade, which spins at 3,000 RPM, which is fast enough to shake off any lint that might cling. We still advise installing the Acme 9460 more than 15 feet away from the back of your dryer, but you can install it closer if the need arises.
The Acme 9460’s main downside is the restrictions around installation. The manufacturer recommends against installing inside a wall, and reorienting it to be installed in any way other than standing requires that you dismount the pressure sensor from the unit itself. These combined restrictions can make the Acme 9460 a rather obtrusive piece of equipment.
That little hiccup aside, the Acme 9460 is still an excellent dryer booster fan. Once you’ve got it set up, it’ll chug along nicely.
5# Systemair Residential Capacity Dryer Vent Booster
Most dryer booster fans are in-line models, as they do the job without taking up too much space. The Systemair kit is a pretty solid example.
It drives a lot of air, outputting a maximum of 170 CFM of airflow. It can handle a vent run of up to 60 feet or equivalent. It’s in the middle of the road for size, occupying a circle just under 10 inches in diameter and taking up around 8 inches of your vent run. The connections are slightly smaller than 4 inches, so your duct will fit over them, and you can use clamps or foil tape to secure the duct.
The volume of airflow is the Systemair’s main draw, so if you’re venting two dryers running concurrently or if you feel you need more airflow out of your vent, it’s an excellent choice for that. Build quality is also excellent, since it’s made by Fantech, and you can count on their products.
The Systemair’s main problem is that it can only handle a vent 60 feet long. Depending on your circumstances, this may or may not be long enough. It’s a good booster fan, but only if your vent doesn’t reach more than 60 feet. It also doesn’t come with an indicator panel, so monitoring its status isn’t as easy as a booster fan with one.
But as long as you’ve got a vent that’s the right length, the Systemair will do an excellent job of carrying exhaust and lint away from your dryer.
6# Fantech 12540 Booster Fan with Wall Mount Indicator Panel
The problem with most dryer booster fans is that they’re installed too far away for you to see if they’re working. This is why the best dryer vent booster fans come with indicator panels like the Fantech DDBF 4XLT.
It provides up to 170 CFM of airflow and can handle up to 130 feet of exhaust vent or equivalent. It occupies a bit above 6 inches on your exhaust vent, and it’s nearly 10 inches wide, so make sure you have the space for it and its mounting bracket.
The indicator panel helps keep track of the DBF 4XLT’s operation. It’s a simple panel, just a little metal strip with an LED. If it’s on and not flashing, that means it’s operating properly. It’ll flash in given patterns to indicate faults, and these are defined in the user manual. This makes it a lot easier to see if you should go in and sort something out with the unit.
One major concern is attaching the fan to the mounting bracket. The recommended method as given in the manual is to drill into the fan housing, and you’ll need to be careful doing that or risk damaging the fan blades. Don’t use any screws beyond the ones provided, again to avoid damaging the blades. If you don’t want to risk it, better to find a different mounting bracket that can accommodate the DBF 4XLT or make your own.
Once you get it mounted, the DBF 4XLT will give you excellent service and keep your exhaust run clear.
7# Soler & Palau Clothes Dryer Exhaust
Ideally, your dryer booster fan should give you a minimum of headache. You should be able to install it, wire it up, then completely forget about it until the time comes to service it. The Soler & Palau PV-100XPS fills that need quite well.
It’s an in-line booster fan made out of pressed galvanized steel, making it quite durable. It can provide up to 153 CFM of airflow into your duct, and it can handle a vent run of up to 120 feet. It occupies slightly under 8 inches of space on your vent run, and it’s a circle just under 15 inches in diameter.
The PV-100XPS’ best virtue is that it provides all of the above capability while being the second-cheapest of the models we’ve listed here. There may be models that are better in a given area, or that are less prone to lint clogging, but none of them provide a combination that’s as affordable as the PV-100XPS.
It has only two downsides. One is that the input and output connections are smaller than 4 inches, so fitting it in the duct can be difficult. Clamps don’t work, so make sure you have lots of foil tape on hand to seal off the connections. The other is that it doesn’t come with an indicator panel, so keeping an eye on its operations is a bit more difficult.
Once it’s sealed up, you’ll find the Soler & Palau PV-100XPS to be an excellent dryer booster fan that won’t break your bank.
8# Continental Fan DVK100B-PM 152 CFM In-Line Dryer Booster
Most dryer booster fans are in-line models and are generally typical duct booster fans with an added sensor to start up when your dryer is in operation. The Continental DVK100B-PM is an excellent example of this type.
As the name indicates, it can contribute 152 CFM of airflow into your dryer exhaust run, and it can handle up to 100 feet or equivalent. It’s circular, taking up 9.5 inches of room plus a little extra for the pressure sensor, and 8.3 inches of duct run. The port connections are slightly smaller than 4 inches, so your duct fits over them and can be either clamped on or taped on, depending on your preference.
The Continental DVK100B-P doesn’t offer any special features or engineering wonders, but that’s its real strength. All you have to do is rig up the fan on its mounting brackets, wire it up and install the pressure sensor probe. A bit of hard work, but nothing truly complicated. As long as you keep it serviced every six months or so, it’ll provide its airflow while making no noise.
Its main disadvantage is simply that it’s not a dedicated dryer booster fan, and thus doesn’t quite perform as well as a purpose-built dryer booster fan like some others on this list. This also means that there’s no indicator panel, thus making it a bit more difficult to check if it’s working properly.
But if you’re fine with that minor issue, the Continental DVK100B-P will provide your exhaust vent with enough air to serve your needs.
Conclusion
Construction might force you to have a long dryer vent, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with the resulting problems. With the right dryer booster fan, your inefficiency and lint troubles will be a thing of the past. No matter your situation, there’s a dryer booster fan for you. If you’d like something simple, the Continental DVK100B-P will serve well. If you can shell out the money for it, it’s hard to beat the Tjernlund LB2. And if in doubt, there’s always our top choice, the Fantech DBF 110. There’s a fan for every situation and every budget.
Your dryer vent won’t get you down once you have your dryer booster fan installed.
