Water Testing

Building Diagnostics Group, Inc (BDG) is the nation’s leader in third party water infiltration field testing. We perform these services on windows, curtain walls, masonry walls, and storefront systems for water penetration during the construction phase or complete forensic water penetration of installed windows, doors, and wall systems. BDG testing professionals use only the highest quality testing equipment available in order to complete testing in accordance with either the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) or American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing protocols. We provide these services all across the nation. Our knowledgeable staff is ready to take on your next project to meet your product testing needs. When you really need to know... call us!

A third party independent testing firm is generally used to validate that windows, doors, storefronts, and curtain wall assemblies are installed to meet the project specifications and product manufacturers’ installation requirements. Field testing for water penetration will determine the quality of work of subcontractors and ensure their accountability and will also ensure that proper specifications were followed during the construction process. Typically these services are for quality assurance or new building commissioning. On new buildings, we perform baseline water testing to determine if fenestrations (windows/doors/penetrations) are properly flashed and sealed to prevent water infiltrations, typically testing 20% of the fenestrations at a property.

Our specialty is water damage cause and origin investigations. We use specialized calibrated water spray rack equipment to recreate reported water intrusions and accurately identify failure points in the building envelope. We actually recreate a simulated rainfall event in a controlled manner to find the exact source of the water infiltration, a procedure sometimes referred to as forensic water infiltration testing. This systematic approach is the only method recommended, as many times the actual source of water infiltration may actually originate from the surrounding construction. This information will be accurately documented so proper repair procedures can be executed. Once we identify the cause of the water infiltration, a scope of work can be written. Following the repairs, we typically retest the areas to determine if the repairs were performed correctly and verify that the water intrusion has been repaired. Our testing equipment is highly portable, so we can perform this service anywhere.

Below are the types of testing we perform to general accordance of the below published standards:

ASTM E1105 - Standard Test Method for Field Determination of Water Penetration of Installed Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls, by Uniform or Cyclic Static Air Pressure Difference

ASTM E331 - 00 - Standard Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference

ASTM E547 - 00 - Standard Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Cyclic Static Air Pressure Difference

ASTM E2128 - 01a - Standard Guide for Evaluating Water Leakage of Building Walls

ASTM C1715-09 - Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Water Leakage Performance of Masonry Wall Drainage Systems

ASTM C1601-09 - Standard Test Method for Field Determination of Water Penetration of Masonry Wall
Surfaces

AAMA 502-08 - Voluntary Specification for Field Testing of Newly Installed Fenestration Products

AAMA 511-08 - Voluntary Guideline for Forensic Water Penetration Testing of Fenestration Products

AAMA 501.2 - Quality Assurance and Diagnostic Water Leakage Field Check of Installed Storefronts, Curtain Walls, and Sloped Glazing Systems

AAMA 503-08 - Voluntary Specification for Field Testing of Newly Installed Storefronts, Curtain Walls and Sloped Glazing Systems

AAMA 501-05 - Methods of Tests for Exterior Walls
 

Additionally, Building Diagnostics Group performs modified versions in general accordance to the above tests utilizing our high-resolution infrared camera equipment to identify water intrusions non-destructively. Although this does not meet many of the static pressure type standardized testing above, we never exceed the design pressure of a product or building component during these tests. The modified versions can be used to identify potential failures without expensive destructive testing, as most of the standardized testing requires disassembly of the building components. We generally use the modified testing procedures in all non-litigation projects. Read our published white paper, "Water Infiltration Testing Using Infrared Thermography".

An in-depth evaluation of the building envelope enables the architect/engineer to develop accurate specifications for contractor bidding that are also used during construction. The quality of the initial field evaluation directly affects the quality and performance of repairs, as outlined in the specification documents. A thorough investigation also promotes an efficient design specification, thereby reducing the possibility of increased costs via change orders due to unforeseen conditions.

The time and expense of performing an initial, well-focused evaluation will save the building owner money in the long run and result in repairs that extend the service life of the building. Contact our office today for more information about all of our forensic water testing services.