The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) has updated a document providing a standard laboratory procedure for evaluation of thermal cycling effects on large exterior fenestration components and cladding by an AAMA Accredited Independent Laboratory. AAMA 501.5-23, Test Method for Serviceability of Exterior Fenestration After Thermal Cycling, an FGIA document, is now available for purchase in the FGIA online store. This document was last updated in 2007.

“For more than 25 years, AAMA 501.5 has been used to assess the serviceability of a variety of exterior wall products after thermal cycling,” said Steve Fronek (Apogee Enterprises), Chair of the Test Method for Thermal Cycling of Exterior Wall Review Task Group. “As with all FGIA standards, continuous improvement is the goal of periodic updates. In this update, the thermal cycling test method was aligned with the recently published AAMA 501.9 surface temperature assessment for condensation evaluation. In addition, a more-repeatable and more-representative cycling protocol based on exterior ambient air temperature has been adopted. Glass breakage and noise associated with wall systems’ expansion and contraction have been addressed in detail.”

This method evaluates permanent damage caused by thermal cycling. It can be used in conjunction with other test methods listed in AAMA 501 or as a standalone evaluation.

AAMA 501.5-23, as well as other AAMA documents available from FGIA, may be purchased from the online store at the discounted member rate of $20 or the non-member price of $60.

For more information about FGIA and its activities, visit FGIAonline.org.

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