The Window and Door Manufactures Association (WDMA, formally "NWWDA") sponsored Hallmark Certification Program is designed to provide builders, architects, specifiers and consumers with an easily recognizable means of identifying window and door products which have been manufactured in accordance with the latest revision of WDMA performance standards.

Product conformance is determined through periodic independent in-plant inspection of a manufacturer’s facilities and periodic testing of representative product constructions and components. An independent third party also reviews the manufacturer’s quality control procedures and processes to insure products are produced in conformance with the appropriate WDMA performance standard. When all of the conditions are met, the manufacturer is authorized to use the WDMA registered Hallmark Certification Label as a means of identifying products.

 

This standard defines the requirements for five classes of windows and glass doors. The classes are: Residential (R), Light Commercial (LC), Commercial (C), Heavy Commercial (HC), and Architectural (AW).

Performance is designated by a number that follows the product type and class designation. For example, a double-hung residential window may be designated H-R-15. The number establishes the design pressure in pounds per square foot or psf (pascals or Pa), in this case 
15 psf (718 Pa). The structural test pressure for all windows and doors is 50% higher than the design pressure which, for the example H-R-15 window, would be 22.5 psf (1077 Pa).

Minimum design pressures, structural test pressures and water resistance test pressures for the five classes in pounds per square foot are:

Window & Door Classes	Design Pressure	Structural Test Pressure psf (Pa)	Water Resistance Test Pressure psf (Pa)
Residential	15	22.5(1077)	2.86(137)
Light Commercial	25	37.5(1796)	3.75(180)
Commercial	30	45(2156)	4.5(217)
Heavy Commercial	40	60(2873)	6(288)
Architectural	40	60(2873)	8(288)

Window and door product test results represented by this standard are designated by a 4 part code which includes product type, performance class, performance grade and maximum size tested.

The format for product designation is illustrated by the following example and descriptions:



Product Type: Each product type and class requires minimum test sizes for entry into the product class. Window and door product types included as part of this Andersen Commercial Product Catalog include: AP = Awning, Hopper, Projected Windows, SC = Casement Windows, SF = Fixed Windows, H = Hung Windows (Single, Double, Triple), HS = Horizontal Sliding Windows, SGD = Sliding Glass Doors, HGD = Hinged Glass Doors.

Performance Class: Window and door products covered by this classification system are divided into five performance classes as follows: R = Residential, LC = Light Commercial, C = Commercial, HC = Heavy Commercial, AW = Architectural.

Performance Grade: Products are designated by the design pressure for which they have been tested in pounds per square foot. The structural test pressure for all products is 1.5 times the design pressure. Each product performance class shall have a minimum performance grade as follows: R = 15 psf (720 Pa), LC = 25 psf (1200 Pa), C = 30 psf (1440Pa), HC = 40 psf (1920 Pa), AW = 40 psf (1920 Pa)

Maximum Size Tested: Test size is a critical factor in determining compliance with this standard. Products must be tested at the minimum test size or a larger specimen size as a condition of entering the class. After passing all of the performance requirements for the product type, class and grade, the product may be designated with the appropriate class (i.e. LC for Light Commercial). This designation shall only be applied to production sizes equal to or smaller than the size tested.

If you need further details about how Andersen products perform to this standard, contact your Andersen supplier. If you need further information about the AAMA/WDMA 101/I.S.2-97 standards please contact either: AAMA, 1827 Walden Office Square, Suite 104, Schaumburg, Illinois, 60173 or WDMA, 1400 E. Touhy Avenue, Suite 470, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018