Introduction
There are several certification programs for fenestration products available in Canada.
What Is It?
A certification program requires window manufacturers to meet the minimum standards set out in the NAFS Standard for the physical performance or the CSA A440.2/NFRC standard for the energy performance. Under the programs, manufacturers are regularly inspected to ensure compliance and random audits are conducted.
The certification programs currently include: CSA, Intertek, QAI, and NFRC. The NFRC program is for thermal certification only. The others may be both physical and thermal or thermal only or physical only.
What Is Covered?
Physical certification ensures that all windows manufactured and sold are objectively tested and that results of the air, water and wind tests are published. Thermal certification ensures that products objectively tested and that the results are published. These test results should be made available to anyone upon request and must be shown on a label on the product.
What’s The Benefit?
Consumers buying certified windows can be confident that performance claims are valid and accurate.