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James Katsaros (DuPont), AAMA’s representative on the FMA/AAMA/WDMA Installation Committee, reviewed progress to date in developing the latest in window and door installation standards, in response to evolving International Residential Code (IRC) requirements as contained in the 2015 code.

The three-association consortium has previously developed a series of five installation standards for installations in localities susceptible to “extreme exposure” conditions, such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The focus has since broadened to include installations in emerging wall system configurations, with the most recent work product being AAMA 500-16, a standard for installing mounting flange windows in foam plastic insulating sheathing (FPIS) walls.

Now, because of changes to the energy code, the committee is developing a standard to further address integration of windows with exterior foam plastic insulating sheathing. It will address key installation concerns of supporting the window attachment, maintaining integration with the weather-resistive barrier (WRB), and finishing details. To date, six representative installation methods have been mocked up and tested for their ability to withstand water intrusion at an applied pressure level of up to 7.25 psf.

Among the installation methods being defined are those with a Rough Opening Extension Support Element (ROESE), an effort that is now part of an active DOE-funded program sponsored by Home Innovation Research Labs (HIRL).

In the near future, the committee will take a fresh look at installation standards for replacement windows. Task groups, originally formed in 2013, are focusing on three different scenarios: pocket replacement into an existing aluminum frame, full frame with partial cladding removal and full frame with no cladding removal. The latter of these is seen as the most complex scenario, with no existing published guidelines and a wide range of details, yet with a wide range of detail involved.