April Showers Bring May Flowers... and Visits to the Lumber Yard

by Doug Berger

It’s Spring! Well, technically.  Our winter weather this year has not been easy. But here we are, finally, tax time, home improvement time, spring cleaning time - time to add that patio, update that deck, replace that window, or maybe just time to purchase that dream home. The weather is changing, from a cold day to a rainy day to a sunny day – and those changes cause the products that are used in and around the home to expand, contract, absorb moisture... and they still need to carry the load they were always intended to.

Whether the product is deck stain, composite plastics, windows, a sidewalk, drywall, or any other material used in a home, knowing how it will respond to weathering is important. Every climate has its own unique obstacles that building product manufacturers must try to overcome to create a product that is safe, long-lasting and attractive and a value for the customer.

One way building product manufacturers can check on how their product holds up under the effects of sustained weather is through third-party product testing.  Third-party testing agencies independently test and verify a building products compliance to building codes, amount of expansion/contraction, moisture absorption, the products reaction to long-term exposure to weather and many other common issues.

Accelerated aging and the effects of sustained weather exposure can be determined by placing the building product under stress for a sustained period of time, and measuring the amount of deformation and weakness found at various intervals.  Some types of weather exposure testing include:

Temperature and Relative Humidity testing

•  Moisture effects
•  Creep tests
•  Freeze-thaw testing
•  UV exposure 

NTA can help you make sure you know exactly how your building product will perform over the years. Contact us today and find out more about how our IAS accredited laboratory offers testing procedures to ensure your product is code compliant.