AMERICANARCHITECTURAL
AAMA501.2-09(editoriallyrevised)
QualityAssuranceandDiagnosticWater LeakageFieldCheckofInstalledStorefronts CurtainWallsand Sloped GlazingSystems
TABLEOFCONTENTS
1.0SCOPEANDPURPOSE...2.0REFERENCEDDOCUMENTS..3.0PREPARATION OFTESTAREA.4.0APPARATUS 26.0REMEDIALWORDANDRE-CHECKING 5.0 PROCEDURE.7.0 TEST REPORT...
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1:STOREFRONT.FIGURE 2: SLOPED GLAZING.FIGURE3: CURTAIN WALLFIGURE4:WATERLEAKAGEFIELD CHECK.
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AAMA 501.2-09PRECEDING VERSION: 501.2-03 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 1994EDITORIALLY REVISED: 11/09
1827Walden Office Square Suite 550 Schaumburg IL 60173 American Architectural Manufacturers Association
1.0SCOPEANDPURPOSE
1.1 The purpose of this document is to provide a quality assurance and diagnostic field water check method for installed storefronts curtain walls and sloped glazing systems. The procedure outlined in this document is not intended to test the ratedor specified water performance representative of a wind driven rain event.AAMA 503 is the proper test method for fieldtesting of storefronts curtain walls and slope glazing for air leakage resistance and water penetration resistance performance.
NOTE 1: This field check method is not apropriate for testing of operable ponents such as operable windows and doorsAAMA0isthproperstmhodfofieldreakagersitnceandwaneratinrsistanceestingfwyinstalled operable windlows and doors and AAMA 511 is the proper test method for forensic water penetration testing of fenestration prodects.
1.2 This field check procedure is intended to evaluate those joints gaskets and sealant details in the glazing which are designed to remain permanently closed and water tight.
pepues a se popa q ane sun Is u pes snea nu ae uumop s u amse jo sun eud o The values given in parentheses are for reference only.
2.0REFERENCEDDOCUMENTS
2.1 References to the standards listed below shall be to the edition indicated. Any undated reference to a code or standardappearing in the requirments of thispecification shall be intretedas torefeing to the latet edition of that code ortandad.
2.2 American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA)
AAMA 502-08 Voluntary Specification for Field Testing of Newly Installed Fenestration Products
AAMA 503-08 Voluntary Specification for Field Testing of Newly Installed Storefronts Curtain Walls and Sloped GlazingSystems
AAMA 511-08 Voluntary Guideline for Forensic Water Penetration Testing of Fenestration Products
AAMA 204-98 Guidelines for AAMA Accreditation of Independent Laboratories Performing On-site Testing ofFenestration Products
3.0PREPARATIONOFTESTAREA
lowest typical floor for storefront or sloped glazing system testing. The area shall be fully glazed to provide a pleted All framing and/or units shall be installed on the lower two typical floors of the building for curtain walltesting and on theinstallation. All of this work shall be done in strict accord with approved shop drawings and job specifications. The architect and/or owner's representative shall designate an area of the pleted portion to be tested. The test area shall be arepresentative sample of typical construction and shall have no outstanding punch list items or other visible defects. If no testarea and/or location has been identified the persons doing the test shall select an area. This area shall be selected to provide representative performance data usually a minimum of 9.3 m² (100 f°). The area to be tested shall include perimetercaulking typical splices frame intersections and if applicable at least two entire vision lites and two entire spandrel lie containing an intermediate vertical member and an intermediate horizontal member. All operable ponents within the testarea shall be isolated and exempt from the test procedure. See Figures 1 2 and 3 for typical test assemblies.
NOTE 2: Testing shall be performed as soon as possible afer the fenestration product is installed and prior to theinstallation of drywall or other interior finish wall materials. If interior wall materials have been installed they shall be removed at the test area to allow visual access to check for water penetration or other means of visual access shall beprovided. If removal of interior finish work is required the sponsor of the test is responsible for the cost of removal and repairs.
4.0 APPARATUS
The test shall be conducted using a Type B-25 #6.030 brass nozzle with a 13 mm (1/2 in) FPT as manufactured by Newton Tool & Mfg. Company 500 Pedricktown Road Swedesboro NJ 08085 (Phone: 856-241-1500). The nozzle shall beconnected to ahose [19 mm (3/4 in) diameter is suggested] and shall be provided with a control alveand a pressure gauge between the valve and the nozzle. The water pressure to the nozzle shall be adjusted to produce 205 to 240 kPa (30 to 35 psi)at the nozzle inlet. The pressure gauge shall be calibrated at a maximum of six month intervals. Record of calibrationcertificates shall be made available upon request.
NOTE 3: This test method may be condacted at pressures lower than 205 kPa (30 psi) providing that the reason (i.e. nof practicalatαmistory biling locationfor not cieving this pressure isI) acceptable to the specifer 2) the pressure snot lower than 170 kPα (25 psi) ancd 3) the reason and the actaa pressure αre so noted ine the test report as an exception tothe method.
5.0PROCEDURE
uo p u jo sus ( uppue p qs e pis p 1) ( 1 jop e pem jod on eup u Each 1.5 m (5 ft) section of test area shall be evaluated for a period of five minutes by slowly moving the nozzle back andforth over the test section (see Figure 4) while maintaining the nozzle perpendicular to the plane of the wall.
NOTE 4:It is remended that α gcuge be atached to the end of the nole to ensure that the specijfied distance from thejoint under test is mcintained. The intent of the procecdure is to indicate that each 1.5 m (5 f.) ponent (horizontal aned vertical) is subjected to the water spray at α rate of 305 mm (1 f.) per minte. Therefore it requires 5 mintes to test each1.5 m (5 f.) lengzh.
5.2 Working from the exterior the wall test section shall be selectively wetted progressing from the lowest horizontalobserver on the indoor side of the wall using a flashlight if necesary shall check for any water leakage and shall note where framing member then the adjacent framing intersections then the adjacent vertical framing members etc. During the test anit occurs.
NOTE 5: For this water leakage field check water leakage is defined as any uoncontrolled water that appears on any normally exposed interior surfaces that is not contained or drained back to the exterior or that can cause damage toadjacent materials or finishes. Water contained within drained flashings gufters and sills is not considered water leakage. y p pos o doso u fo douo puad sa afu afo (2o 1u o dno uoao system shall nort be considered water leakage.
5.3 If no water leakage occurs during the five minute test the next 1.5 m (5 ft) of framing shall be wetted for five minutes and testing continued in this manner until the entire test area is tested.
5.4 If water leakage occurs and the source of the leakage cannt be identified the following sequence shall be followed:
5.4.1 After allowing the wallto dry pletely and working downward from the top of the area to be checked alljoints gaskets and framing within this area shallbe pletely and tightly covered on the outdoor side with a water proof adhesive masking tape. If necessary use small amounts of sealant where the tape wraps around the framing corners and joints toensure that the masking is plete and waterproof.
5.4.2 Starting at the bottom of the prepared area the masking tape shallbe removed from the lowest horizontal framing for adistance of not more than 1.5 m (5 ft) from one end of the frame including the joint intersection or coner at the end. This exposed length shall be subjected to the nozzle spray as directed in Section 4.1.
5.4.3 If no water leakage occurs during the five minute test period this length of framing shall be considered satisfactory andshall remain uncovered. If leakage has occurred at any point the framing shall be re-taped at such points to prevent furtherleakage of these points during the subsequent checking of joints and framing adjacent to or above them.
5.4.4 This process shall then be repeated on all framing gaskets and joint intersections within the designated area using increments of exposed framing length not exceeding 1.5 m (5 ft) and always working upward on the wall.
NOTE 6: In some cases due to anforeseen delays or other causes more than one working day may be required to pletelyremain on finished metal or glass surfaces any longer thcn necessry especially where subjected to strong sunlight as thismay make its removal difficult. It is the responsibiliry of the party contracting for the test to properly clean ary residualadhesive or sealant resulting from the testing.
5.5 Testing shall be performed by an AAMA accredited independent testing agency.
SPECIFIER NOTE 7: AAMA accredited laboratories are required to ply with AAMA 204-98 *Guidelines for AAMA Accreditation of Indepenent Laboratories Performing On-siteTesting of Fenestration ProductsThe requirement of AAMAaccrediation assures the specifier that the laboratory has the staf. training. experience and calibrated equipment toproperly perform field testing.
6.0REMEDIALWORKANDRE-CHECKING
6.1 Wherever water leakage has occurred the framing shall be made watertight in a manner acceptable to the architect and/orchecked for leakage. owner's representative. Remedial work involving the use of curing-type pounds shall be allowed to set before it is re-
6.2 After all necessary remedial work has been pleted and the required curing time if any has elapsed all repaired framing sections shall again be checked following the same procedure as before (see Section 4.0).Should leakage still befound to be satisfactory. found further remedial measures shall be taken and checking shall be repeated until all framing in the designated area is
7.0TEST REPORT
7.1 The test report shall include the following general information: testing agency date and time of test date of report identification and location of the building.
dimensions materials etc.: identification and locations of fenestration product(s) on the building: physical condition offenestration product; description of any modifications made to the fenestration products.
7.3 The test report shallinclude a statement regarding sampling procedures.
7.4 The test report shall include all test results (and all retests) and a record of all points of water leakage.
7.5 The test report shall include a pliance statement indicating that the tests were conducted in accordance with thismethod or pletely describe any deviation. Also state whether or not the results indicate pliance with the field testingspecification requirements for the project.
