AAMA Revises Field Testing Requirements for Newly Installed Fenestration Products
May 7, 2012

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has published AAMA 502-12, "Voluntary Specification for Field Testing of Newly Installed Fenestration Products." This updated specification establishes the requirements for field test specimens, apparatus, sampling, test procedures and test reports to be used in verifying the air infiltration resistance performance and water penetration resistance performance of newly installed fenestration products.

"The purpose of AAMA 502-12 is to provide a method which can be used to evaluate the installed performance of fenestration products for air leakage resistance and water penetration resistance under controllable, reproducible and appropriate conditions," says Kim Flanary of Milgard and co-chair of the AAMA Field Testing Task Group.

In addition to editorial changes, revisions to AAMA 502-12 include the addition of the CW class and removal of C and HC classes as performance classes in examples of allowable air leakage rate, which is in keeping with the recently updated AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-11, North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS).

Specifically, Scott Warner of Architectural Testing Inc. and co-chair of the AAMA Field Testing Task Group, says the specification was revised to clarify language regarding field testing on project specific size windows that are smaller than the minimum gateway size identified in NAFS-11. "The acceptable air infiltration rate for these smaller sized products will be allowed to be increased at the discretion of the specifier and manufacturer," he says.

Updated from the 2011 document, AAMA 502-12 references important industry standards which include AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-11, "North American Fenestration Standard/Specification for windows, doors, and skylights;" AAMA 503-08, "Voluntary Specification for Field Testing of Newly Installed Storefronts, Curtain Walls and Sloped Glazing Systems" and ASTM E783-02 (2010), "Standard Test Method for Field Measurement of Air Leakage through Installed Exterior Windows and Doors."

The specification is applicable during construction, prior to the issuance of the building occupancy permit but no later than six months after installation of the fenestration product.

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