Laboratory Tests of Water Penetration through Wall-Window Interfaces Based on U.S. Residential Window Installation Practice

The detailing of wall-window interfaces and the consequences of defective installation of windows is an on-going concern in North America. This manuscript concerns laboratory evaluation of the water leakage performance of a select set of window-wall interface details. The details were for windows with mounting flanges installed in wood-frame walls sheathed with rigid extruded polystyrene foam. The tests were performed on a single full scale test assembly in which two identical windows were installed by two similar but nonetheless different means. Each detail included a sill pan intended to collect water that gained entry into the assembly and thus was designed to be robust (tolerant of flaws). Tests were performed over a series of different water loading (spray) rates, and over a series of different air pressure differentials at each spray rate. Air leakage rates through the window opening were monitored; they were controlled by a unique methodology. Leakage paths were introduced in the window frames and these paths were alternatively blocked or opened to permit evaluation of the performance of the installation details under two different assumed conditions of window leakage. Air pressure distribution within the assemblies was monitored during spray testing. The wall assembly were designed to permit observation of water entry in it, and to allow measurement of water entry to, or drainage from, various locations within the assembly. Results on water entry and management for the two wall-window interface configurations are given and effectiveness of the details is discussed.Le d\ue9tail des interfaces mur-fen\ueatre et les cons\ue9quences des d\ue9fauts de pose des fen\ueatres demeurent des sources de pr\ue9occupation constante en Am\ue9rique du Nord. Dans ce manuscrit, on se penche sur l?\ue9valuation en laboratoire de la performance d?\ue9tanch\ue9it\ue9 \ue0 l?eau d?un ensemble s\ue9lectionn\ue9 de d\ue9tails d?interface mur-fen\ueatre. Les d\ue9tails \ue9taient ceux de fen\ueatres avec brides de fixation pos\ue9es dans des murs \ue0 ossature de bois rev\ueatus d?une mousse de polystyr\ue8ne extrud\ue9, rigide. Les essais ont \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9s sur un ensemble d?essai simple en vraie grandeur, dans lequel deux (2) fen\ueatres identiques \ue9taient pos\ue9es selon deux (2) m\ue9thodes similaires mais n\ue9anmoins diff\ue9rentes \ue0 certains \ue9gards. Chaque d\ue9tail de pose comprenait un plateau d?appui servant \ue0 recueillir l?eau qui parvenait \ue0 p\ue9n\ue9trer dans l?ensemble, ayant donc \ue9t\ue9 con\ue7u pour \ueatre robuste et tol\ue9rant aux failles. Des essais ont \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9s sur une s\ue9rie de taux de charge (pulv\ue9risation d?eau) divers, et sur une s\ue9rie de pressions d?air diff\ue9rentielles vari\ue9es pour chaque taux de pulv\ue9risation diff\ue9rent. Les taux de fuite d?air par la baie de fen\ueatre ont \ue9t\ue9 contr\uf4l\ue9s suivant une m\ue9thodologie unique. Des parcours de fuite ont \ue9t\ue9 introduits dans les encadrements de fen\ueatre, et ces parcours \ue9taient tour \ue0 tour bloqu\ue9s et rouverts afin de permettre l?\ue9valuation de la performance des d\ue9tails de pose sous deux (2) conditions diff\ue9rentes suppos\ue9es de fuite par la fen\ueatre. On a observ\ue9 la distribution de la pression de l?air \ue0 l?int\ue9rieur des ensembles au cours des essais de pulv\ue9risation. Le mur a \ue9t\ue9 con\ue7u pour permettre l?observation de la p\ue9n\ue9tration de l?eau \ue0 l?int\ue9rieur de celui-ci, de m\ueame que la mesure de l?admission de l?eau en divers points \ue0 l?int\ue9rieur de l?ensemble, ou de l?\ue9vacuation de l?eau \ue0 l?\ue9cart de ces points. Les r\ue9sultats relatifs \ue0 la p\ue9n\ue9tration de l?eau et \ue0 sa gestion pour les deux configurations d?interface mur-fen\ueatre sont ici donn\ue9s, et l?on traite de l?efficacit\ue9 de leurs d\ue9tails.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye