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Radon Vac RMS-160 Sidewall Radon Mitigation System The Tjernlund Radon Vac provides the first effective and affordable way to reduce radon levels in existing homes. The unique system consists of a plug-in fan, exterior hood and installer-purchased PVC pipe. Because the Radon Vac system evacuates through the basement side wall, homeowners can avoid having PVC pipe run vertically through living areas or outside of their homes to the roof line.
The Radon VACTM radon mitigation system is an important part of limiting the entry of radon gas into your home. However, minimizing your home's exposure to radon requires a comprehensive approach and includes, but is not limited to: • Sealing cracks in foundation floors and walls • Sealing ductwork that may create a negative pressure in basement or crawlspace • Providing make-up air for combustion appliances and other exhaust sources to reduce the negative pressure inside the home • Diluting crawlspace or basement air with fresh air Radon fans work by actively depressurizing the soil under the foundation or crawl space vapor barrier. The lower pressure created by the fan forces radon gas into the system's piping and to the outside rather than allowing it to leak into the home. WHY USE THE RMS-160 TO REDUCE RADON LEVELS? Radon generally seeps into your house through the ground. Traditionally, a PVC pipe was sunk into the ground below your foundation, and then run all the way up through the house, through the roof, where a fan would pull the Radon out. This isn't so hard while building a house, but can lead to problems in an existing house. Imagine running a 4" pipe from your basement straight out your roof. How many closets would you break through? Could you make a straight shot without breaking into your living space? The Tjernlund RMS-160 has been specifically designed and tested to remove Radon from your house, through the sidewall. Tjernlund is a pioneer in sidewall drafting systems, and have done extensive research in the most efficient way to remove Radon from your house. Save time, save money, save material....use the RMS-160 to vent radon directly out of your basement. Call 800 685 8263 or e-mail us at info@volko.com AN OVERVIEW OF RADON Source: US Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) OverviewRadon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. Radon can be found all over the U.S.Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building — homes, offices, and schools — and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time. You should test for radon.Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools. Testing is inexpensive and easy — it should only take a few minutes of your time. Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon (see How to Test Your Home). You can fix a radon problem.Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels. EPA Recommends the Following Testing Steps: Step 1. Take a short-term test. If your result is 4 pCi/L or higher, take a follow-up test (Step 2) to be sure. Step 2. Follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test:
The higher your initial short-term test result, the more certain you can be that you should take a short-term rather than a long-term follow up test. If your first short-term test result is more than twice EPA's 4 pCi/L action level, you should take a second short-term test immediately. Step 3. If you followed up with a long-term test: Fix your home if your long-term test result is 4 pCi/L or more. If you followed up with a second short-term test: The higher your short-term results, the more certain you can be that you should fix your home. Consider fixing your home if the average of your first and second test is 4 pCi/L or higher. What Your Test Results MeanThe average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels. While this goal is not yet technologically achievable in all cases, most homes today can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below.
Sometimes short-term tests are less definitive about whether or not your home is above 4 pCi/L. This can happen when your results are close to 4 pCi/L. For example, if the average of your two short-term test results is 4.1 pCi/L, there is about a 50% chance that your year-round average is somewhat below 4 pCi/L. However, EPA believes that any radon exposure carries some risk - no level of radon is safe. Even radon levels below 4 pCi/L pose some risk, and you can reduce your risk of lung cancer by lowering your radon level.
If your living patterns change and you begin occupying a lower level of your home (such as a basement) you should retest your home on that level.
Even if your test result is below 4 pCi/L, you may want to test again sometime in the future. Is your home comfortably conditioned? Do you have some rooms that
are too warm or too cold? Identifying trouble zones may be as easy as walking from room to room, and holding a hand up to the ceiling to see if there is a noticeable temperature change. Here are a few other products may also help solve some problems, thus improving comfort and efficiency.
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