ASTM C1642-14 - 15.9.2014
 
Significance and Use

5.1 This practice is intended to measure air flow through materials used to fill joints found in building construction.

5.2 This practice does not purport to establish all required criteria for the selection of an air barrier assembly. Therefore, the results should be used only for comparison purposes and should not be seen as the equivalent to field installed building systems.

 
1. Scope

1.1 This practice is intended to determine the air leakage rate of aerosol foam sealants as measured in a standardized jig. This practice provides a procedure for preparing the test apparatus and further describes the application of aerosol foam sealant and other joint fillers to the apparatus prior to conducting Test Method E283.

1.2 This practice allows testing laboratories to quantify the air leakage rate of aerosol foam sealants or joint filling products using Test Method E283 and reporting the data in L/(s · m2) according to Practice E29.

1.3 This practice is used in conjunction with Test Method E283. Although Test Method E283 is a laboratory test method used with fenestration products, individuals interested in performing field air leakage tests on installed units should reference Test Method E783 and AAMA 502.

1.4 Aerosol foam sealants are used for a variety of end use applications generally intended to reduce air leakage in the building envelope.

1.5 Insulating type materials also will be found suitable for evaluation with this practice.

1.6 There are no other known practices or test methods that specify the preparation of the assemblies used to determine the air leakage rate of gap filling sealants, dry preformed foams or insulations.

1.7 The values given in SI units are the standard. The inch-pound units in parentheses are for information only.

1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

 
2. Referenced Documents

ISO/IEC 17025

General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories

C717-26

Standard Terminology of Building Seals and Sealants

C1330-23

Standard Specification for Cylindrical Sealant Backing for Use with Cold Liquid-Applied Sealants

C1536-19(2025)

Standard Test Method for Measuring the Yield for Aerosol Foam Sealants

E783-02(2018)

Standard Test Method for Field Measurement of Air Leakage Through Installed Exterior Windows and Doors

E29-22

Standard Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to Determine Conformance with Specifications

E283-04

Standard Test Method for Determining Rate of Air Leakage Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure Differences Across the Specimen

AAMA 502

Voluntary Specification for Field Testing of Newly Installed Fenestration Products

C1620-25

Standard Specification for Aerosol Polyurethane and Aerosol Latex Foam Sealants