I get where you’re coming from, but I tried one of those vent booster fans in my last place and honestly, it didn’t fix the temp difference much. It moved a bit more air, but if your ducts are leaky or crushed somewhere, the fan just blows around the same problem. I ended up crawling into the attic with a flashlight and found a section of duct half-disconnected—didn’t need to touch drywall at all, just some insulation. Not saying they’re totally useless, but they’re not magic, either.
Yeah, those booster fans are kind of hit or miss. I’ve had tenants swear by them, but honestly, if the ductwork’s a mess, you’re just pushing more air through a leaky pipe. I’ve seen everything from disconnected elbows to squirrels nesting in the insulation—no fan’s gonna fix that. Sometimes it’s just a matter of crawling around and tightening things up. Not glamorous, but it works better than gadgets most of the time.
Had the same issue in one of my older duplexes—living room would roast, bedrooms freezing. Turned out half the vents were buried under old carpet and furniture, and a couple of the dampers were stuck halfway shut. Booster fans didn’t do much until I sorted that out. Sometimes it’s just a matter of tracking down all the little things that add up.
Curious if anyone’s tried balancing the system with those magnetic vent covers or just closing off a few registers? I’ve heard mixed things—some folks say it helps, others claim it messes with the pressure and causes more leaks. Never been sure if it’s worth the hassle or just a band-aid.
Curious if anyone’s tried balancing the system with those magnetic vent covers or just closing off a few registers? I’ve heard mixed things—some folks say it helps, others claim it messes with the pressure and causes more leaks.
- Tried the magnetic covers in my last place. They did redirect some air, but honestly, I noticed more whistling and one vent started rattling.
- Closing registers helped a bit in the short term, but I read that it can increase static pressure and possibly stress the blower motor.
- Ended up getting better results by sealing up duct leaks with mastic tape and adding insulation to the runs going to the cold rooms.
Has anyone actually measured their static pressure after using vent covers? Wondering if the risk is overblown or if it's a real concern for older systems.
Tried the register-closing trick when I first moved in, thinking it’d be a quick fix. Honestly, it just made the furnace sound like it was working overtime, and the airflow to other rooms didn’t improve much. I’m with you—sealing up leaks and adding insulation actually made a noticeable difference. The pressure thing isn’t just hype, either. My HVAC guy showed me the static pressure readings after blocking a couple vents, and it was way higher than it should be. Not worth risking your system, especially if it’s an older setup.
