Radon awareness

On July 8, 2010, in did you know, by jake
0

What is Radon?
Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family’s health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and claims about 20,000 lives annually. The areas affected across the United states are shown here on this map:

– Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) (red zones)
– Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (orange zones)
– Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (yellow zones)

 Consulting this map is only for broad reference. In order to determine the level of Radon in you home the most effective method available to the public is a liquid scintillation or other radon test kit:

http://www.hvacquick.com/products/residential/Fans/Radon-Fans/RadonAway-Radon-Test-Kits

This test is a simple first step towards peace of mind in protecting your family and yourself from the deleterious effects of Radon.

Tagged with:
 

ASHRAE 62.2 — What is it?

On June 30, 2010, in solutions, by radek
0

ASHRAE 62.2 “Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings” is the U.S. national minimum ventilation standard.  Note that not all states require it or may apply it differently so check with your local building codes to see what they require.

The standard requires low-level, continuous ventilation in a home using a whole-building fan or other ventilation system. Intermittent whole-building ventilation can be used as an alternative. Note that the standard uses the term “whole-building ventilation fan”, not to be confused with the term “whole-house fan” which is a different product (see AirScape whole-house fans on hvacquick.com.

To calculate the required flow for continuous ventilation, count 1 cfm (cubic foot per minute) per 100 square feet of floor area of the house. Next, multiply the number of bedrooms plus one by 7.5 cfm (cubic feet per minute). Then add those results together. For example, a 2,000-square-foot house with three bedrooms would require 50 cfm (20 cfm for the building area plus 30 cfm for the 3+1 bedrooms).

Typically HRVs or ERVs are used to meet the standard, but bath fans are acceptable as well.  There are additional sound and minimum cfm criteria that bath fans must meet in order to be allowable.  Fantech and S&P inline fans are a good option due to their low sound levels and available 62.2 control options:

http://www.hvacquick.com/products/residential/Ventilation-Accessories/ASHRAE-62-2-Controls

An online version of the standard is available at the ASHRAE website (www.ashrae.org).

Tagged with:
 

Solar attic fans!

On June 30, 2010, in cool products, news, by radek
0

Why do we love solar attic fans?  How about easy install, long life, and no energy costs!  Its a great do-it-youself upgrade project or a quick easy job for the pro.

We recently added the AirScape solar attic fans to our lineup.  They are robust, look great and are well priced.  Significantly better than the el-cheapo big box store units… in our humble opinion…

A couple of different sizes and models are available:
http://www.hvacquick.com/products/residential/attic-fans/attic-fans-solar-electric/AirScape-Solar-Attic-Fans

Airscape solar attic fan

And some good news:  the cost of your solar attic fan and installation qualifies for a 30% tax credit under the U.S. Emergency Stabilization Act of 2009. Save your receipt, along with the handy residential certification form.

Tagged with:
 

AirScape hydroponics fans

On May 14, 2010, in news, by radek
0

The AirScape hydroponics fans are here!

AirScape as315

Link to the site:
http://www.hvacquick.com/products/residential/Fans/Hydroponics-Fans

Remember, good ventilation helps to keep the temperature down and prevents any heat related stress on your plants.

Tagged with: