ASTM_E_2128_-_17.pdf

Designation:E212817Standard Guide forEvaluating Water Leakage of Building Walls1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2128;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide describes methods for determining andevaluating causes of water leakage of exterior walls.For thispurpose,water penetration is considered leakage,and thereforeproblematic,if it exceeds the planned resistance or temporaryretention and drainage capacity of the wall,is causing or islikely to cause premature deterioration of a building or itscontents,or is adversely affecting the performance of othercomponents.A wall is considered a system including itsexteriorandinteriorfinishes,fenestration,structuralcomponents,and components for maintaining the buildinginterior environment.1.2 Investigative techniques discussed may be intrusive,disruptive,or destructive.It is the responsibility of the inves-tigator to establish the limitations of use,to anticipate andadvise of the destructive nature of some procedures,and toplan for patching and selective reconstruction as necessary.1.3 This practice does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.Establishappropriate safety,health,and environmental practices anddetermine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior touse.Awareness of safety and familiarity with safe proceduresare particularly important for above-ground operations on theexterior of a building and destructive investigative procedureswhich typically are associated with the work described in thisguide.1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2C1601 Test Method for Field Determination of Water Pen-etration of Masonry Wall SurfacesC1715/C1715M Test Method for Evaluation of Water Leak-age Performance of Masonry Wall Drainage SystemsE331 Test Method for Water Penetration of ExteriorWindows,Skylights,Doors,and Curtain Walls by Uni-form Static Air Pressure DifferenceE547 Test Method for Water Penetration of ExteriorWindows,Skylights,Doors,and Curtain Walls by CyclicStatic Air Pressure DifferenceE631 Terminology of Building ConstructionsE860 Practice for Examining And Preparing Items That AreOr May Become Involved In Criminal or Civil LitigationE1105 Test Method for Field Determination of Water Pen-etration of Installed Exterior Windows,Skylights,Doors,and Curtain Walls,by Uniform or Cyclic Static AirPressure DifferenceE1188 Practice for Collection and Preservation of Informa-tion and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator2.2 AAMA Standards:3AAMA 501.2 Quality Assurance and Diagnostic WaterLeakage Field Check of Installed Storefronts,CurtainWalls and Sloped Glazing SystemsAAMA 511 Voluntary Guideline for Forensic Water Pen-etration Testing of Fenestration Products,Article 4.2.1.3.1Optional Sill Dam Test(This test method previouslyappeared in AAMA 502.)3.Terminology3.1 DefintionsRefer to Terminology E631.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Performanceof Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.55 on Perfor-mance of Building Enclosures.Current edition approved Nov.1,2017.Published December 2017.Originallyapproved in 2001.Last previous edition approved in 2012 as E2128 12.DOI:10.1520/E2128-17.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Available from American Architectural Manufacturers Association(AAMA),1827 Walden Office Square,Suite 550,Schaumburg,IL 60173-4268,http:/www.aamanet.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.1 3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 incidental waterunplanned water infiltration thatpenetrates beyond the primary barrier and the flashing orsecondary barrier system,of such limited volume that it canescape or evaporate without causing adverse consequences.3.2.2 water absorptiona process in which a material takesin water through its pores and interstices and retai