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Background BS 8485:2007 Code of Practice Passive Venting Solution & Design Visqueen Gas Vent Mat System Overview - Gas Flow Fittings and Outlets Visqueen Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Visqueen Gully Vents Visqueen Airbrick Visqueen Gas Fitting Index Complete System Product Installation Technical Support 1 3 6 7 8 9 13 15 18 21 22 24
Permission to reproduce extracts from BS 8485:2007 is granted by the British Standards Institution (BSI). No other use of this material is permitted. The complete British Standard can be purchased from the BSI online shop: http://shop.bsigroup.com/en/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030149737
The information given in this brochure is based on data and knowledge correct at the time of printing. Statements made are of a general nature and are not intended to apply to any use or application outside any referred to in the brochure. As conditions of usage and installation are beyond our control we do not warrant performance obtained but strongly recommend that our installation guidelines and the relevant British Standard Codes of Practice are adhered to. Please contact us if you are in any doubt as to the suitability of application.
Background
The hazards of ground gases must be taken into account when designing and constructing new developments. Ground gas can be drawn into a building by the pressure difference that exists between the inside and outside of the building (warm indoor air is less dense than cold outdoor air). Ground gases can enter buildings through: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Cracks in solid oors Construction joints Cracks in walls below ground Gaps in suspended concrete or timber oor Gaps around service pipes Cavities in walls Soil and vent pipes
Common ground gases and contaminates Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbons can be highly toxic and are a derivative of the petrochemical industry. Hydrocarbons are prevalent in areas such as disused petrol stations and post industrial sites. Most hydrocarbons are carcinogenic and potentially ammable. Methane An odourless ammable gas that is explosive when released to the atmosphere at levels as low as 5% and exposed to a source of ignition. Methane is formed wherever there is below-ground degradation of organic substances e.g. landll sites, sewage treatment areas, mining localities and peat bogs. Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide is a colourless, odourless gas that in high concentrations can result in asphyxiation. The gas is formed by the oxidation of carbon compounds such as in landll sites. When carbon dioxide levels reach concentrations of 3% symptoms of headaches and shortness of breath can occur, becoming severe at 5%, with loss of consciousness at 10%. Its potentially fatal at concentrations of 22% and above. Radon Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is odourless and colourless. It is formed where uranium and radium are present. It migrates into any building that is built over the source. If it accumulates in a building at unacceptably high concentrations it will increase the potential risk of the occupants developing lung cancer.
Table 1. Characteristic gas situation 1 Hazard potential Very low Site characteristic hazardous gas ow rate, Additional factors Qhgs lh1 <0.07 Typically 1% methane concentration and 5% carbon dioxide concentration (otherwise consider an increased characteristic gas regime) Typical measured ow rate <70 l/h (otherwise consider an increased characteristic gas regime)
2 3 4 5 6
NOTE: The side characteristic hazardous gas ow rate is synonymous with the gas screening value in CIRIA C665 and NHBC Report no.: 10627-R01 (04) [3].
3. Solutions Recommended gas protection Having ascertained the characteristic gas situation, as the nal part of the process, the appropriate gas protection measures should be selected for the building. There are a great number of existing designs and component elements available in the current market (and others being developed constantly); Table 2 and Table 3 give a guide as to the relative performance of the various types of designs and systems available today. Given the combined design gas regime and risk factors, a guidance value for the required gas protection in the range 0 to 7 should be obtained from Table 2. Then, a combination of ventilation and/or barrier systems should be chosen from Table 3 to meet that requirement using a point scoring mechanism.
Table 2. Required gas protection Characteristic gas situation NHBC trafc light Very low Non-managed property, e.g. private housing 0 3 4 6 D) Commercial buildings 0 2 2 4 5 7
Public building 0 3 3 5 D) 6 E)
Industrial buildings 0 1 C) 2 3 4 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
NOTE Trafc light indications are taken from NHBC Report no.: 10627-R01 (04) [3] and are mainly applicable to low-rise residential housing. These are for comparative purposes but the boundaries between the trafc light indications and CS values do not coincide.
Table 3. Protection Element/ System a) Venting/dilution (see Annex A) Passive sub oor ventilation (venting layer can be a clear void or formed using gravel, geocomposites, polystyrene void formers, etc.) Very good performance Good performance 2.5 Ventilation performance in accordance with Annex A. If passive ventilation is poor this is generally unacceptable and some form of active system will be required. There have to be robust management systems in place to ensure the continued maintenance of any ventilation system. Active ventilation can always be designed to meet good performance. Mechanically assisted systems come in two main forms: extraction and positive pressurization. Assumes car park is vented to deal with car exhaust fumes, designed to Building Regulations Document F [5] and IStructE guidance [6]. Score Comments
Suboor ventilation with active abstraction/pressurization (venting layer can be a clear void or formed using gravel, geocomposites, polystyrene void formers, etc.) Ventilated car park (basement or undercroft) b) Barriers Floor slabs Block and beam oor slab Reinforced concrete ground bearing oor slab
2.5
0 0.5
It is good practice to install ventilation in all foundation systems to effect pressure relief as a minimum. Breaches in oor slabs such as joints have to be effectively sealed against gas ingress in order to maintain these performances.
Reinforced concrete ground bearing foundation raft with 1.5 limited service penetrations that are cast into slab Reinforced concrete cast in situ suspended slab with minimal service penetrations and water bars around all slab penetrations and at joints Fully tanked basement c) Membranes Taped and sealed membrane to reasonable levels of workmanship/in line with current good practice with validation Proprietary gas resistant membrane to reasonable levels of workmanship/in line with current good practice under independent inspection Proprietary gas resistant membrane installed to reasonable levels of workmanship/in line with current good practice under CQA with integrity testing and independent validation. Intermittent monitoring using hand held equipment Permanent monitoring and alarm system Installed in the underoor venting / dilution system Installed in the building e) Pathway intervention Pathway intervention 0.5 1.5
2 The performance of membranes is heavily dependent on the quality and design of the installation, resistance to damage after installation, and the integrity of joints.
d) Monitoring and detection (not applicable to non-managed property, or in isolation) 0.5 2 Where tted, permanent monitoring systems ought to be installed in the underoor venting/dilution system in the rst instance but can also be provided within the occupied space as a fail safe.
This can consist of site protection measures for off-site or on-site sources
Airbrick
Description Visqueen Ground Vent boxes comprise of a High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) base with two 110mm pipe connections; the rst to connect to the venting system and the second to connect to the stormwater / land drainage system. There are various options of slotted and perforated lids manufactured from a variety of materials, from stainless steel to plastic, to ensure gas collected from beneath the building is harmlessly vented to the atmosphere. Provision is also made for a side connection to the vent box. Application
500mm
300mm
Typical building applications are curtain walling and glazing where the ducting cannot be taken through a perimeter wall. Visqueen ood resistant gas vent boxes provide an alternative to passive periscope vents in brick and blockwork for suboor ventilation. When xed to connecting pipe work and geocomposite void formers they provide controlled release and dispersal of gas from the ground to the surrounding atmosphere. High or Low Airow Lid Options The Visqueen Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box is supplied with varying lid options to suit most applications including: High airow (slots) - for general use in pavements, non road or landscaped areas. Free air capacity 19,200mm2.
Low airow (perforations) - specically designed for safety e.g. child friendly lids within a school environment. Free air capacity 5,994mm2.
The lids are available with various nishes including: Stainless steel Galvanised steel Please note all vent box options are only suitable for pedestrian trafc. Should a road trafc rated vent be required please contact the Visqueen Technical Support Team for further advise. Installation The vent box should be placed on a minimum of 150mm deep, 20mm diameter shingle. The unit should be surrounded with 150mm of concrete to the top of the box and smoothed level to allow the gully grate lid to be positioned on top of the unit. Visqueen Flood Resistant Vent Box Product Options:
Product Reference VT020A VT020B VT020C VT020D Product Description Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Stainless Steel High Airow Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Stainless Steel Low Airow Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Galvanised Steel High Airow Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Galvanised Steel Low Airow
Gas Flow Fittings Visqueen offers various ttings that connect the vent mat to the Visqueen Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box thus ensuring the gas is efciently dispersed from beneth the building. Please see next page for a typical detail.
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1 2 3 Visqueen Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box and Lid 150 4 GL FFL
VT002 90o Bend Geocomposite Vent Mat 25mm Stormwater Drainage VT011 Gas Vent Connector
Key: Visqueen Gas Protection Membranes/ DPC :1 2 3 4 Visqueen Gas Barrier Visqueen Zedex High Bond DPC on HP Tanking Primer Visqueen 100mm Double Sided Tape Visqueen 150mm GR Lap Tape
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Internal catchment tray to fall 1:60 to centre of box Drip along exposed edge 75 1:60 fall 125 300 Drip Provisions is also made for side connection to the vent box.
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125
110mm spigots
Connect vent to sub-oor ventilation layer or vented void Drain 125 Vent Connect drain to stormwater / land drainage system Drain pipe outlet to have 10 mm removable mesh cover to prevent debris from entering / blocking the system
Plan
500
Isometric 12
0845 302 4758
visqueenbuilding.co.uk enquiries@visqueenbuilding.co.uk
690mm
320mm
Plan 13
Section
Rectangular Gully Vent Visqueen's Rectangular Gully Vent has two lid options to suit most applications. These are the following: Low airow (6mm holes) - specically designed for security e.g. child friendly lids within a school environment. Free air capacity 6,840mm2. High airow (6mm wide slots) - for general use in pavements, non road or landscaped areas. Free air capacity 18,100mm2.
Plan
50mm
Section
320mm*
690mm
320mm
Product Description Circular Gully Vent Stainless Steel Rectangular Gully Vent Stainless Steel High Airow Rectangular Gully Vent Stainless Steel Low Airow
Installation The gully vent should be placed on a minimum of 150mm deep, 20mm diameter shingle. The unit should be surrounded with 150mm of concrete to the top of the box and smoothed level to allow the gully grate lid to be positioned on top of the unit.
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* To be used in conjunction with Adjustable Z Vent (VT014) to connect to vent mat to air brick. Adjustable air vent can be adjusted vertically to a height between and adjusted horizontally using extension sleeve VT015.
57mm
Gas ow ttings Visqueen offer various ttings that connect the vent mat to the airbricks thus ensuring the gas is efciently dispersed from beneath the building to the atmosphere. A typical system build up is illustrated below.
Gas Vent Mat Gas Vent Mat Connector (VT010) Adjustable Z Vent (VT014)
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Gas ow ttings Visqueen offer various ttings that connect the vent mats to the bollard thus ensuring the gas is efciently dispersed from beneth the building. A typical system is illustrated to below.
90o Bend (VT002) Gas Vent Mat Connector with Pipe (VT011)
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1 2 3 150 4 GL FFL
Key: Visqueen Gas Protection Mebranes/ DPC :1 2 3 4 Visqueen Gas Barrier Visqueen Zedex High Bond DPC on HP Tanking Primer Visqueen 100mm Double Sided Tape Visqueen 150mm GR Lap Tape
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330mm
220mm 70mm
I.D 108mm
200mm
60mm
120mm
70mm
VT001 T Fitting*
*PVC
VT003 Coupling* **
*PVC **Multit option also available see Product index.
3m 40mm
1.5m
1.5m 3m
3m
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All buried ttings and pipes are HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) unless stated Twin Wall Smooth
100mm 915mm 1130mm 330mm
50mm
336mm 243mm
990mm (Slot)
100mm
70mm
290mm
220mm
550mm
210mm
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Outlets
Product Reference VT020A VT020B VT020C VT020D VT021 VT022A VT022B VT023A VT023B VT023C VT024A VT024B VT024C Product Description Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Stainless Steel High Airow Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Stainless Steel Low Airow Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Galvanised Steel High Airow Flood Resistant Gas Vent Box Galvanised Steel Low Airow Circular Gully Vent Stainless Steel Rectangular Gully Vent Stainless Steel High Airow Rectangular Gully Vent Stainless Steel Low Airow Gas Vent Bollard Stainless Steel Gas Vent Bollard Powder Coated Steel Gas Vent Bollard Plastic Airbrick Black Airbrick Terracotta Airbrick Anthracite Compatibility VT002 VT002 VT002 VT002 VT002 VT002 VT002 VT002 VT002 VT002 VT014 VT014 VT014
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Complete system
Gas Barrier Membranes In accordance with the recommendations of BS 8485:2007, a passive venting system can also require a gas barrier membrane. Visqueen offer an extensive range of gas barriers to suit most applications as shown by our product selector below. Table below indicates suitability of membrane type to resist specic ground gases. Radon GX Geomembrane & GX Flexi HC Barrier Gas Barrier Membrane Gas Resistant Self Adhesive Membrane (GR SAM) Liquid Gas Membrane (Liquid GM) Low Permeability Gas Membrane (LPGM) Radon Membrane CO2 Methane Hydrocarbons
GX Membrane
Gas Barrier
Liquid GM
LPGM
Accessories
Radon Membrane
A full range of accessories including pre-formed units, top hats, tapes and gas dispersal ttings are available from Visqueen Building Products: see website for details.
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Product Installation
How to lap and joint a membrane above a oor slab
Remove loose debris from the surface of the oor slab and unroll the rst sheet of membrane. The surface of the slab should be smooth and free from projections or indentations if very rough, apply a sand blinding.
Remove the protective paper from one side of the appropriate jointing tape and apply it to the rst sheet, starting about 50mm from the edge. Ensure that all surfaces are dry for maximum adhesion.
Unroll the second sheet along the joint, overlapping the rst by at least 150mm. Press rmly onto the double sided tape, gradually removing the protective paper.
How to joint the cavity tray to the membrane at the oor perimeter
Install the DPC starting from the outside of the external wall, over the inner masonry leaf and nishing at least 200mm from the wall.
Just before the oor topping is applied (or oor slab is cast), clean any mortar droppings, or other debris from the DPC. Remove the protective paper from the appropriate jointing tape and apply the tape to the DPC, Starting about 50mm from the edge.
Lay the membrane over the oor slab (or suboor blinding), overlapping the DPC by at least 150mm. Press rmly onto the appropriate jointing tape, gradually removing the protective paper.
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Service Pipe Penetrations Damp proof and airtight seals should be formed around all service entry points. Visqueen Top Hat Units are available for sealing around pipe units. The full system consists of: Rigid preformed pipe sleeve (top hat) unit available for either 110mm, 135mm or 160mm External diameter pipes. Flexible preformed pipe sleeve (Top Hat) unit supplied to suit pipe. External diameter as required. Double sided jointing tape. Girth lap tape. Foil lap tape for gas applications. How to install a top hat
Key
1 2 3 4
3 4 2 7 4 3 5 1
Preformed Pipe Sleeve Visqueen Gas Barrier Visqueen Double Sided Tape Visqueen GR Lap Tape
5 6 7 8
Jubilee Clip Visqueen TreadGUARD 1500 Visqueen Vapour Barrier Smooth Sand Blinding Layer
Cut a circular hole in the membrane as close as possible to the pipe, or pipe socket. Ensure that pipe penetrations do not occur at joints in the membrane.
With the pipe in position, slide the Visqueen Preformed Top Hat Unit over the pipe (various diameters are available 110mm being the most common).
Mark the extent of the square horizontal skirt over the membrane and also mark the line of the top of the top hat unit around the pipe.
Raise the top hat unit and cut four lengths of Visqueen Double Sided Jointing Tape, one for each side of the horizontal skirt. Allowing for an overlap at each corner. Cut one length to go round the pipe.
Start to remove the protective paper from the double sided tape around the pipe and raise it up at an angle so that it will project above the top hat unit when it is stuck to the membrane.
Release the protective paper from each of the four lengths of double sided tape. Lower the top hat unit, ensuring that the free end of the protective paper around the pipe is reachable, and seal the horizontal skirt to the membrane.
Gradually remove the remainder of the protective paper from the double sided tape around the pipe.
Seal the junction of the horizontal skirt and the membrane with the appropriate sealing tape and secure the top hat unit to the pipe with a jubilee clip.
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Technical Support
For more than 50 years Visqueen Building Products, part of British Polythene Industries PLC, has been recognised as the leader in the development, production and supply of high performance, high quality construction products including best selling damp proof membranes, damp proof courses and gas protection systems. For high quality protection against gas and damp ingress on increasingly demanding site conditions, only Visqueen Building Products offers you a complete solution. Gas Venting Design Support Visqueen offer an unrivalled technical and design service. To determine what system is required we require the site inspection report, foundation layout and perimeter sections. On receipt of this information Visqueens technical design team can provide an outline drawing of a cost effective venting solution. Please contact our technical helpline on 0845 302 4758 for further information. Venting systems should be designed on a site specic basis. Quality and Environmental Assurance Visqueens products are manufactured under strict quality guidelines. As part of our commitment to the highest standard of quality and service, Visqueen is registered to ISO 9002, 14001 and 18001. CPD Seminars Visqueens Continuing Professional Development (CPD) seminars are designed to provide critical up-to-date information on the latest building regulations and guidance affecting those in the construction sector. Presented by our highly qualied and experienced technical consultants, Visqueens one hour interactive seminars provide key advice and support for architects, speciers and anyone involved in new-build construction or refurbishment. Visqueen offer two CPDs: Structural Waterproong Gas Protection To arrange your free CPD seminar please complete our online from the link below or call us on 0845 304 2567 visqueenbuilding.co.uk/cpd.asp
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