Quality & Turnover Guide

ASTM E1105 vs AAMA 501.2:
Specifying the Right Field Water Test

Method selection distinctions from official standards language. No invented pressures or spray frequencies.

ASTM E1105 vs AAMA 501.2 Field Water Test Connor Walsh · 2026-09-12 · /blog/astm-e1105-vs-aama-501-2-field-water-test.html

Diagnostic repair narratives live on storefront water-intrusion repair. This page is design-phase method selection for field water testing.

Start from specification intent

Read the project specification section that names the field test. Note whether the intent is quality-assurance sampling during construction, forensic diagnosis after a leak, or contractual acceptance testing. The method name, sampling rate, and pass/fail criteria belong in the specification or a written testing plan, not in memory.

High-level method distinctions

INFORMATIONAL COMPARISON ONLY. Confirm every parameter against the current official standard and the project specification. Not a substitute for purchasing the standards.

TopicASTM E1105 (field water penetration)AAMA 501.2 (QA hose method)
Typical role on commercial jobsStandardized field water-penetration test method referenced for fenestration performance checksQuality-assurance hose procedure commonly used to check installed fenestration workmanship
Where numeric parameters liveIn the current ASTM E1105 text and any project modificationsIn the current AAMA 501.2 text and any project modifications
Specification practiceCite edition/year and any project deviations in writingCite edition/year, sampling, and acceptance language in writing
What this page will not doPublish invented pressures, durations, or nozzle setupsPublish invented spray rates or pass/fail shortcuts

Selection checklist

  • Does the specification name ASTM E1105, AAMA 501.2, both, or another method?
  • Is the purpose QA during install, acceptance, or forensic diagnosis?
  • Who hires the testing agency, and who remediates failures?
  • Which openings are in the sample set, and who protects adjacent finishes?
  • Are product-approval / shop conditions consistent with the assembly being tested?

What to prepare in the field

Access, water source, power, interior protection, and a written sequence so the test does not become an uncontrolled wetting of unfinished spaces. Coordinate Division 07 transitions before blaming the glazing alone for a fail.

How to ask for a test-ready package

Send the specification section naming the test method, elevations, and whether ACG is furnish-and-install or supply-only. ACG: (772) 486-7711. FL CGC #1531993.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ASTM E1105 and AAMA 501.2?

They are different published methods used for different field water-check intents. Read the project specification and the current official standards for apparatus and acceptance criteria. This page does not invent pressures or spray rates.

Can I use AAMA 501.2 if the spec names ASTM E1105?

Not as a silent substitute. Obtain written direction before changing the specified method.

Who usually hires the testing agency?

Follow the project specification and general conditions. Do not assume the glazing sub always pays for third-party testing.

Where should numeric test parameters come from?

Only from the current official standard text and any written project modifications, never from memory or this article.

Related Resources
Water-intrusion repair → Div 07/08 transitions → Shop drawings → Storefront systems →
SEND THE DRAWINGS

Field water test named in the spec?
Send the section and elevations.

Send the specified test method section with the drawings. We coordinate a test-ready install sequence in the scope letter. (772) 486-7711. FL CGC #1531993.

Send Us Plans

Related Resources

Pricing this scope?

Send us the drawings. Scope letter back in 48 hours.

American Commercial Glass coordinates field water-test readiness against the method named in your specification. Send the test section and elevations. Numeric parameters come from the standards and the project documents, not from guesswork.

Licensed Florida glazing subcontractor · FL CGC #1531993 · West Palm Beach · Naples · Tampa

Send us plans → (772) 486-7711