When a lab is testing for design pressure, they hook the window up to a special test. No, a true design pressure test is like something right out of MythBusters–including a huge shattering of glass. No one at a desk does some quick calculations based on glass thickness and window size, then stamps an estimated DP onto the window design. You’ll be interested to know that when a window’s design pressure is determined, it isn’t an arbitrary estimate.
Before we talk about how to find out about your area’s design pressure requirements, let’s learn about what determines it, and how carefully it’s tested.
You no longer just want to find out what it means, now you’re committed to getting the proper windows installed, especially if you live in a weather risk area. Now knowing what DP stands for, and what it entails, you’re likely feeling more strongly about it. With winds and potential hurricanes, the geographic location of the coastal homes requires a stronger DP. A home in Florida, for example, may have a design pressure requirement of 35 in the center of the state, but a DP of 60 along the coast. When the required DP of your home is being calculated, a number of things are taken into consideration, including geographic location, the height of the building and the location of that window in the building. As defined by the AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturers Association), WDMA (Window and Door Manufacturers Association), and the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council), design pressure is a rating that identifies the load – induced by wind and/or static snow – that a product is rated to withstand in its end-use application. What this means is that a lab has carefully tested a window’s design pressure by measuring how many pounds of pressure per square foot a window can take. Defining Design PressureĭP stands for design pressure. You heard that your windows need to meet your location’s DP requirements, and you want to fully understand what that means before you proceed.
In fact, that might be why you’re reading this article. But something you want to take note of is a window’s design pressure rating.īefore you had to replace your windows, you may have never heard of design pressure. If you’re replacing the windows in your home, you’re going to look at a variety of factors including price, ease of installation and aesthetic appeal. All About Design Pressure Ratings of Windows