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Like it or not, testing is here to stay

When we buy windows, how do we know how good they are? Nowadays, it’s easy to quantify a window’s performance by its test results and we can be more objective in determining how well it performs. It used to be that for the average homeowner, buying windows carried the same risk as the roulette wheel. It was hit and miss. Will these windows keep the house warm when it’s cold outside? Will they leak water when it’s raining? Will they keep the house occupants safe from burglars. Standardized testing was not commonplace. Without an objective test, it is difficult to know a window’s performance value, especially with respect to its geographical location and weather exposure.

Forty years ago, we saw the introduction of the CSA A440 windows performance standard into the Building Code. CSA A440 allowed us to rate windows based on certain key performance indices. Standard methods for testing air and water tightness and structural performance were available and we could compare products based on standard test results. CSA A440 also dictated minimum levels of performance. Forced to comply with certain minimum levels for performance, windows and doors evolved in their design.

We started seeing more innovative designs such as water drainage channels. Wood was gradually replaced with alternate materials such as vinyl which facilitated the drainage path. Properly sized weatherstrip and cam-lock hardware made windows tighter against air and water infiltration. Windows are typically more impervious today than they’ve ever been.

A multitude of test labs sprung up to satisfy this demand for testing. Right now, I’m imagining a collective grunt and eyerolls by manufacturers reading this as they’re thinking, “Government cash grab to require testing of all products (in all sorts of sizes) that need to be repeated every four or five years.” (BTW, every time someone says “cashgrab,” a window test engineer gets their wings.) Working 10 years in a test lab, I’ve heard my fair share. Test labs are not run by the government.

However, what has really driven the design evolution in fenestration the last two decades is the expectation for thermal performance. Building codes, city bylaws, and Energy Star are all major drivers for this exponential improvement. We will never again see single pane glass windows, uncoated glass or aluminum extrusions that are not thermally broken being sold. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years the common themes around efficient fenestration will be electrochromic glass, VIGs and transparent wood. Yup, you can say you first heard it here in 2024 (although this has been talked about for years).

MURBs (multi-unit residential buildings) are becoming more prevalent, especially near transit hubs and architects now demand that windows and doors meet acoustical standards meant to mitigate the noise of adjacent highways and rail transit. Because densification squeezes more people in a smaller area, there is more demand for enhanced security standards as it relates to forced entry resistance. The reality of our times has homeowners and architects requesting resistance to extreme forced entry (think mad person with an axe or firearms). Currently these demands are not code driven (yet).

Extreme weather events have necessitated impact-resistant fenestration. This is not something new, but the markets for this requirement are not just in Miami. Local codes in coastal areas on both seaboards are seeing the benefit of impact resistant windows for products traditionally reserved for Florida. Insurance companies are driving this craze. Fenestration testing can get really complex and really expensive (cue the “cashgrab”).

Long gone are the days of a simple water test in order to populate the product brochure. Each manufactured window needs to undergo a comprehensive test plan. Depending on where it’s being used, the test plan may be quite complex. If you want to make the most of your testing dollars, talk to an engineer at the test lab or certification agency. They’re the best resources to ensure that you’re covered for the market you want to sell. •