IEA Radon_Reporter_April 2025

THE RADON REPORTER | 7 PRODUCT NEWS UL Fan Safety Standard Update on Unattended Areas Dave Kapturowski, Vice President & Co-Founder, Spruce Environmental A new update to “ UL 507 Standard for Safety, Electric Fans ”, went into effect on November 27, 2024 and must be implemented on these products as of that date. This update adds requirements for Listed electric fans that are used in “Unattended Areas”. Key to the UL507 change is the addition of either a secondary thermal or a current fuse in AC induction motors, along with an extensive suite of testing. The fuse will ensure that motors will not spark if the windings short out. UL Standards are developed by a committee which includes UL, industry, government, consumer and other groups. The UL standard is used by UL, ETL, CSA and other Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories to certify products. The UL standard covers all types of fans and many aspects of product safety including mechanical integrity, electric shock and other operational hazards. On March 3, 2025 the Consumer Product Safety Commission provided a letter to UL in support that an exterior mounted radon fan should be suitable for “Unattended Areas” as the occupant may not detect or be notified of a locked rotor condition. On April 9, 2025 the UL507 Technical Committee concluded their vote in overwhelming support in their formal standard interpretation that all radon fans must be suitable for use in “Unattended Areas” if they are installed outdoors. This requirement shall be effective i mmediately. O ther a reas i nside t he s tructure s uch a s: a ttics, basements or garages are also unattended. In other words, all allowed locations for radon fans in the US are in unattended areas. Any fan not meeting these new requirements that is installed in these areas could be subject to tear out orders and consumer complaints to the state and certifying bodies affecting your ability to do business. Safety is a primary concern for the radon industry. Radon systems provide safety to the families that live in the home. This new safety standard revision serves to increase the overall safety and professionalism of the radon mitigation industry and installer. Editor’s Note: The above material is relevant to radon professionals who are certified by NRPP or NRSB, which require compliance with the ANSI-AARST SGM-SF standard, or credentialed in the 14 states that require compliance with the SGM-SF standard, or otherwise adhere to SGM-SF, since the standard specifies in section 6.5 ASD Fan Installation that ASD fans selected by the user shall meet minimum safety standards including thermal protection: 6.5.1 Fan Design ASD fans chosen shall be: a) designed for continuous duty operation; b) designed or otherwise sealed to reduce the potential for leakage of water and soil gas; c) designed to allow rainwater or condensation from within ASD piping to pass through or around the fan when operating; and d) represented by the manufacturer as both appropriate for the class of contaminants being extracted and manufactured with features that meet minimum safety standards, to include: 1. thermal protection integral to the fan that prevents dangerous overheating of the motor; 2. protection against electrical shock for fans mounted both on the interior and exterior of buildings, that may include a fan installed in a weatherproof protective housing that results in a code compliant configuration; and 3. other features that result in a safe fan installation, such as specified by codes where evaluations of chemicals in soil have indicated that gases passing through the fan are corrosive or could result in a fire, explosion, or serious personal injury.