There are different types of fans that are used in homes, offices, and industrial settings for different purposes. While some are meant to provide some form of cooling, others are applied to ventilation and air pressure needs. This brings us to inline duct fans and exhaust fans.
Many people often ask a lot of questions about the purpose of the two devices and whether they can be used interchangeably. Are inline fans the same as exhaust fans? What are their similarities and differences? We’ll take you through these pointers as we go on.
But first, it’s important to provide a clear explanation of what an inline duct fan is and what an exhaust fan does.
Inline Duct Fans and Exhaust Fans
An inline duct fan is an appliance installed in the ductwork to help boost air flow rate and pressure through the ductwork. An inline duct fan is a fan that is, first and foremost, connected to or installed in the ductwork of your home.
You’d find them installed close to the end of a long stretch of installed ductwork. They are primarily installed to help push air into distant rooms and areas of the home.
An inline duct fan generally provides the force that cool or warm air, or any other form of thermal energy, needs to move farther to far-reaching parts of the house.
This means they act as enhancers for central air conditioners and central heaters, increasing the pressure of the airflow to enhance the impact of your HVAC systems.
While the structure and build of some models of inline duct fans and exhaust fans are similar, their purpose and mode of operation are mostly different.
An exhaust fan is primarily a fan that’s installed to help exhaust impure indoor air and replace it with fresher outdoor air. In other words, this fan is also used to reduce humidity, and exhaust heat and also reduce air pollution indoors.
Unlike duct fans, they are installed close to the ceiling, usually on the wall or even at the end of ductwork with an opening to the outside of the building.
Is An Inline Fan the Same as An Exhaust Fan?
This is a complex question because there are models of inline duct fans that can be used for exhaustion, as also models of exhaust fans that may work well with airflow increase.
For some people, the difference is usually in the design of the fan; whether it is made to pull or push air (or both), as well as the size and diameter of the fan.
An exhaust fan, like the iLIVING 12″ Shutter Exhaust Fan, is primarily meant to expel polluted indoor air outside the house or building, but it also provides room for fresher outdoor air to come in. Its blades are primarily designed to pull air from inside the house and push it out.
On the other hand, most inline duct fans, like the AC Infinity CLOUDLINE Quiet 6” Inline Duct Fan, work by pushing air through a duct. They do not exhaust or pull air out if specifically installed for duct airflow.
This is also because an inline duct fan is placed inside the duct, just about a meter from one end. But to answer the question plainly, an inline fan is not the same as an exhaust fan. They have different uses and purposes for installation.
Inline Duct Fan Vs Exhaust Fan
So, how does an inline duct fan differ from an exhaust fan? You probably already have an idea, but we’ll throw in a few pointers for emphasis.
The first point of comparison is in the function that the two appliances perform. The inline duct fan is installed to help get warm or cold air from HVAC units to all parts of the house or building.
They enhance airflow, thereby increasing its volume and velocity and ensuring that even the most distant room in a building can get the cooling or warmth effect of the HVAC unit. On the other hand, an exhaust fan is meant to exhaust stale air along with air vapor and bring in fresher air.
These two appliances are quite competitive when it comes to performance. However, we must add that while they both only consume minimal energy, an inline duct fan is logically more efficient in terms of performance.
Nothing is to guarantee that some of the air expelled by the exhaust fan doesn’t find its way back into t