Dear DWM 
Certification of IG Units—Clearing up Debate Over Single-Seal Systems
Dear DWM:
I recently read the response to the article I authored from Ric Jackson of Truseal Technologies Inc. My original article appeared in the May issue of DWM magazine (see page 48) and concerned the mandate for certification of insulating glass units (IG) under the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) certification and labeling program. 

I find Mr. Jackson’s defensive response somewhat curious, as I made no reference to any single-seal systems available in the marketplace including any of Truseal’s products. I do not disagree with Mr. Jackson’s position that there are single-seal systems available that can pass current industry requirements for IG durability, including ASTM E 774 and E 2190. The point of this article was to educate the IG fabrication community that there are new demands being implemented as a result of the new mandate by the NFRC for IG certification.

Most recently at the National Fenestration Council’s (NFRC) summer meeting in Denver, the board of directors accepted the conceptual requirements for implementation of the IG certification mandate. Formal documentation must be developed yet, but this shall become a prerequisite for fenestration manufacturers either currently certifying and labeling or planning to certify and label products under the NFRC. The non-specificity of my comments concerning “some” and “may” were intentional and I stand behind them. Regardless of Mr. Jackson’s assurances concerning Truseal products, there are single-seal IG systems that may be incorporated into products that are currently NFRC-certified and labeled that will not pass the durability requirements of ASTM E774 and/or E2190. 

I do not feel it necessary to identify these product configurations or supply supporting documentation to the same, as the intent of my commentary is not to disparage the products of any company but to make IG fabricators aware of the potential for future concern. If Mr. Jackson wishes to challenge this position then I’d ask him to reciprocate his request and supply data assuring the industry that all single-seal IG systems currently available in the marketplace pass the above referenced durability standards. I will then renounce my position and withdraw my prior comments.

Thank you, once again, for keeping the fenestration industry informed!

Tracy G. Rogers
Technical Director
Edgetech IG
Cambridge, Ohio 

DWM
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