Why field water testing matters
A leak rarely announces its source. Water that appears at an interior sill may have entered through the window unit, around its frame, through a flashing lap, or from somewhere above the opening.
Field water testing replaces guesswork with observation. By applying water in a controlled way to a defined area, a tester can see whether that area leaks and, often, where the water travels once inside the wall. A documented procedure also allows a test to be observed or repeated by others.
Water testing is one of the services de Haan & Associates provides. Our investigative specialties include windows and doors, including product and installation water testing. Testing is often the step that turns a suspected leak into a documented one.
Window and door water intrusion testing: product or installation
Testing can isolate two different questions. A product test looks at the window or door unit itself, such as the glazing, frame joints, and weatherstripping. An installation test looks at the joint between the unit and the wall, including flashing, sill pans, sealant, and building paper laps.
The distinction matters because it can point toward different parties and different repairs. A unit that leaks through its own frame calls for a different response than a sound unit installed without proper flashing. Both conditions can also be present at the same opening.
If a product appears to have a manufacturing defect, we are aligned with several laboratories that test and analyze product failure. We also take field samples to store at our office in case they are needed at trial.
Published field test methods
Field water tests commonly follow published methods. One example is ASTM E1105, which sprays water on an installed unit while holding a uniform or cyclic air pressure difference across it. Another is AAMA 501.2, a nozzle test often used on storefronts and curtain walls.
The appropriate method depends on the product, the question being asked, and the requirements that apply to the project. Results are most useful when the procedure, the test locations, and the observations are recorded carefully. Test pressures and durations are usually set by the method chosen and the project requirements.
Testing is generally planned around a specific question, such as whether a particular opening leaks under a defined condition. Testing a sample of openings, and recording which ones leak and how, can show whether a problem is isolated or widespread.
Field testing data prepared for trial
Gregg de Haan, our founder and principal, leads field investigations, gathers field data, and prepares field testing data for trial. Testing results become part of the record in expert meetings, mediations, arbitrations, and trial. Field test data is often among the most useful evidence in a water intrusion matter, because it records direct observation.
We use state-of-the-art cameras and video documentation techniques to provide trial-ready exhibits. A clear visual record helps a judge, jury, or arbitrator follow what a test showed.
Our goals in any dispute are clarity and accuracy, and test data is only useful when it is both. Careful records of test conditions, locations, and results let others evaluate them on their merits.
Part of a full look at the building envelope
Water testing is one part of a broader look at the building envelope. Our specialties also include cement plaster and siding, roofing and sheet metal, decks, podium slabs, subgrade waterproofing, and waterproofing and building paper installation.
We generate comprehensive field reports, photo documentation, conceptual repair scopes, and cost estimates promptly, so test results connect to a defined repair. We are retained by attorneys, insurance carriers, building owners, homeowner associations, and contractors in California, Arizona, and Montana.
Water testing can also guide repair. Knowing which component failed helps define what must be removed and replaced, and what can remain in place. Testing after repair is a common way to confirm that an opening performs.
What we examine
- 01Window units, glazing, and frame joints
- 02Exterior doors and their weatherstripping
- 03Flashing and sill conditions at openings
- 04Building paper laps around openings
- 05Interfaces with cement plaster and siding
- 06Interior water paths and resulting damage
What you receive
- Field testing data prepared for trial
- Photo documentation
- Trial-ready exhibits
- Comprehensive field reports
- Conceptual repair scopes and cost estimates
How the work proceeds
- 01
Field investigation
Our field personnel identify and document the conditions at the openings in question.
- 02
Product and installation water testing
Windows and doors are water tested to examine the product, its installation, or both.
- 03
Documentation
Conditions and findings are recorded with photo documentation for trial-ready exhibits.
- 04
Testing data for trial
Gregg de Haan prepares field testing data for trial and presents it in expert meetings, mediations, arbitrations, and trial.