Deanna Williams Seale, PE
January 30, 2018
Don’t Let Water Infiltration Rain on Your Product’s Parade!
At Home Innovation, we conduct all manner of building product evaluation and certification. One area of specialty that holds a lot of manufacturer interest is our water infiltration testing.
Roof leaks are one of the most common water intrusion issues a consumer may encounter in their home, and these issues are often diagnosed early before major problems set in. Water intrusion into walls, however, usually persists for a longer time before the problem becomes evident to a homeowner — the extended time period is what can contribute to resulting mold and rot problems. Water intrusion into walls typically results from poor flashing around windows, doors, and penetrations. The combination of heavy rain and high winds results in wind-driven rain where water can be forced through every crack and crevice in the wall system. It is amazing how much water can get through a system that looks impenetrable.
Sample Moisture/Water Intrusion/Drainage Test Set-Ups in Home Innovation Lab.
Among our arsenal of moisture-related testing capabilities, Home Innovation runs the ASTM E331 Standard Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference on a number of different products and systems. This test uses a full-size specimen and subjects it to a water spray equivalent to 8 inches of rain per hour. At the same time, a pressure of 137 pascals (2.86 lb/ft2), equivalent to approximately a 34 mile per hour wind, is applied to the specimen in order to force the rain through any leakage path. The system must withstand these conditions for 15 minutes without any evidence of leakage. Home Innovation’s wind-blown rain chamber can also run ASTM E283 to measure air infiltration and it is common to run both air infiltration and water intrusion on the same system. You can see a full list of all our test method accreditations online.
Home Innovation continues to help product manufacturers find ways to verify and improve product performance. If you would like to see how your products perform under our real-world simulation tests, contact us. If you are a builder, you should always be sure the weather resistant barrier and flashing products you use have been appropriately tested and properly installed — a full list of Home Innovation Lab Certified products is available on our website. If you have questions about a specific product, let us know.
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