What Is Window?
Window tests are the measurement of basic characteristics to be declared within the scope of EN 14351-1. Air permeability (EN 1026), water tightness (EN 1027), wind load resistance (EN 12211), heat permeability (EN ISO 12567 or calculation), sound insulation and mechanical durability are the main tests.
Purpose of Window
The aim is to show that the window provides the expected air and water tightness on the facade, withstands wind load and produces values that will be included in the energy performance calculation.
Which Products Is Window Applied To?
- PVC, wooden and aluminum windows
- Kompozit pencere sistemleri
- Facade windows and curtain wall elements
- skylights
- balcony doors
In Which Sectors Is Window Used?
Standards Related to Window
- TS EN 14351-1 (windows and doors — product standard)
- TS EN 1026 / EN 12207 (air permeability)
- TS EN 1027 / EN 12208 (water tightness)
- TS EN 12211 / EN 12210 (wind load resistance)
- TS EN ISO 12567-1 (thermal permeability — hot box method)
- TS EN ISO 10077-1/-2 (heat conductivity calculation)
- TS EN ISO 10140 series (sound insulation)
Window Conditions
- Specimen
- Life-size window with glass and hardware attached
- Mounting
- It is mounted on the test frame in a way that represents the detail in use
- Pressure levels
- Increasing pressure levels defined in the standard in air and water tests
- Measurement order
- Air and water tests can be repeated after wind load
Equipment for Window
- Air permeability and water tightness test room
- Wind load pressure system
- Hot box mechanism
- Acoustic experiment rooms
- Deformation measurement systems
Sample Requirements for Window
- Life-size, fully assembled window
- Glass type, profile system and hardware information must be reported
- Opening type (sash, transom, sliding) must be specified
- The sample must be representative of production conditions
Duration of Window
The air, water and wind test series is completed within a few days. Thermal permeability hot box measurement and acoustic experiments require separate setups, thus extending the total schedule.
Window Procedure
- 1The window is mounted on the experimental frame.
- 2Air permeability is measured in increasing pressure levels.
- 3Water tightness test is applied.
- 4Wind load resistance and deformation are measured.
- 5Air and water tests are repeated if necessary.
- 6Thermal permeability and sound insulation are determined.
Window Acceptance Criteria
EN 12207, EN 12208 and EN 12210 define the performance classes; The required class is determined in the project according to the location of the building, its height and the wind load it is exposed to. Minimum values for thermal conductivity are defined by national energy regulations. Within the scope of (EU) 305/2011, the test result is not a pass/fail decision, but the performance value to be announced in the Declaration of Performance (DoP). The national regulations and project specifications of the country where the structure where the product will be used determine which performance level is sufficient.
Evaluation of Results
It is important to repeat air and water tests after wind load: a window that deforms under load may lose the sealing it provided in the first test. Additionally, laboratory results assume correct assembly; A window installed incorrectly on the construction site will not give the declared performance.
Window Report
- Window type, dimensions, profile and glazing system
- Hardware and expansion type
- Air permeability class
- Water tightness class
- Wind load class and deformation values
- Heat permeability and sound insulation values
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Construction Products Regulation (EU) 305/2011
- 2010/31/EU Energy Performance in Buildings Directive
Construction Materials Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Window test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Construction materials testing shows whether a product performs the function it takes on within the structure. A wide field is gathered in this family, from the compressive strength of concrete to the thermal transmittance of glass, from sieve analysis of aggregate to the watertightness of windows.
What sets this family apart from the others is that the result turns directly into a REGULATORY DECLARATION. For products covered by construction products legislation a declaration of performance (DoP) is mandatory, and every essential characteristic in the declaration rests on a test result. Reaction-to-fire class, thermal conductivity, compressive strength, water permeability and release of dangerous substances are declared in this way. The declaration is a legal text carrying the manufacturer's signature; the test record behind it is the first document requested in an inspection.
The second distinguishing feature is that the product is assessed over its SERVICE LIFE. An electronic device runs for five years; a building component stays in place for fifty and is exposed throughout that time to freeze-thaw cycles, UV, moisture, chemical attack and load. Durability tests (freeze-thaw, carbonation, alkali-silica reaction, ageing) therefore carry as much weight in this field as classical strength tests.
Tests are separated by material type and each group has its own set of standards: cement and concrete, aggregate, masonry units, wood-based panels, thermal insulation, glass and glazing units, ceramic tiles, floor coverings, screeds, joint fillers and coating systems. Where the product will be installed determines which set applies — the same panel is assessed against different standards on a wall and on a floor.
Factory production control (FPC) is a continuous component of the field. CE marking on a construction product is not obtained with a single test and then left; the manufacturer must set up a system showing that it monitors production consistency, takes samples regularly and intervenes when there is a deviation. Depending on the product group, this system may have to be audited by a notified body.
Site testing is a separate body of work. In the laboratory the product is approved; on site it is checked that the product really is of the declared class and that it has been applied correctly. Fresh concrete slump, cylinder sampling, aggregate sieve analysis and in-situ watertightness tests fall within this scope.
Method groups in this field
Concrete and cement
Slump, air content and unit weight in fresh concrete; compressive and flexural strength, water permeability and freeze-thaw resistance in hardened concrete. For cement, compressive strength, setting time and composition analysis.
Aggregate
Sieve analysis, particle shape, Los Angeles abrasion resistance, freeze-thaw, alkali reactivity and density/water absorption.
Thermal and energy performance
Thermal conductivity and thermal resistance, calculation of thermal transmittance (U value) in glazing units, solar energy transmittance.
Facade and joinery
Air permeability, watertightness and wind load resistance in windows and doors; fire performance in facade systems.
Fire performance
Reaction-to-fire classification and fire resistance tests; these are two separate concepts and are addressed by separate standards.
Masonry, tile and flooring
Compressive strength, water absorption, abrasion resistance, slip resistance, stain and chemical resistance.
Emissions and dangerous substances
Formaldehyde release from wood-based panels, VOC emissions from construction products, leaching behaviour of aggregates and waste.
Commonly confused in this field
- REACTION to fire and RESISTANCE to fire are different concepts: one describes the material's contribution to a fire, the other how long a component holds the fire back.
- A declaration of performance is not a certificate; it is the manufacturer's declaration. Notified body involvement varies with the product group and the assessment system.
- A test result is valid for the mounting arrangement in which the product was tested. A different substrate, a different thickness or a different joint detail may require reassessment.
- A site sample and a laboratory sample are not the same thing. A concrete cylinder taken on site also reflects application and curing conditions; it does not replace product approval.
- ASTM and EN construction standards measure similar quantities with different specimens and scales; the results cannot be converted one-to-one.
Which decisions these results support
- Declaration of performance (DoP) and CE marking
- Establishing and maintaining the factory production control system
- On-site conformity control of concrete, aggregate and workmanship
- Meeting fire and energy performance requirements
- Verifying the technical items in the project and tender specification
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Window
Should we declare the thermal conductivity by calculation or measurement?
EN 14351-1 accepts both ways: calculation according to EN ISO 10077 series or measurement according to EN ISO 12567-1. The account is more economical; measurement gives more reliable results in complex geometries.
Do different sized windows require separate testing?
EN 14351-1 contains rules regarding the size range to which test results can be extended. Dimensions outside this range require additional testing or calculation.











