The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has established the CSA-A440 standard. It is called an omnibus standard because it applies to vinyl windows constructed from diverse materials. It describes how to measure and rate a window’s airtightness, watertightness, wind resistance, condensahttps://thwindowsdoors.com/vinyl-windows/tion resistance, forced entry resistance, ease of operation, and other requirements. It also sets out minimum requirements for all components and their materials, from hardware, insect screens or weatherstripping, to finishes, adhesives and thermal performance. In addition, all windows must be designed to allow on-site reglazing.The CSA-A440 rating is a minimum to start with when purchasing new windows.Independent testing by accredited laboratories assures each model meets minimum levels of performance in the three categories: airtightness,watertightness and wind resistance. The National Building Code of Canada and most provincial/territorial building codes now require that windows and doors used in new low-rise residential construction and renovations meet CSA-A440 requirements and have at least an A1, B1 and C1 performance rating |