This section should identify the proposed performance documentation and verification procedures that will be achieved or are able to be implemented upon completion of the installation of the PVMS and why they are appropriate to demonstrate the efficacy of the PVMS. Because the PVMS is not readily accessible or visible, and there are no measurements or readings based on a mechanical process that can speak to a system operating effectively, the performance documentation and verification procedures discussed should aid in confirming the operation of the installed system by identifying lines of evidence that indirectly indicate that the system is performing. Though they are not typical performance metrics like those used for mechanical systems, they function very similarly.
Also, because PMVSs do not contain mechanical parts nor are they expected to have consistent flow or applied vacuum through the system, performance factors are typically limited, unless the liner or coating has been breached, to the following:
- Confirming flow or connectivity from all portions of the floor to the vertical vent risers,
- Confirming flow up through the vertical vent risers,
- Confirming the barrier prevents advective and diffusive flow into the structure via smoke testing, tracer gas, or indoor air sampling,
- Confirming the operation of any meter or alarms (typically limited to methane), and
- Ensuring that the building has not undergone any settlement or modifications that may have impacted the integrity of the PVMS.
Note: System Performance Documentation and Verification Procedures are discussed in the design document only to ensure that a person understands different mechanisms that can document that a PVMS is functioning and to incorporate those features into the design.