Crews spray water along a joint, window perimeter or curtain wall with a calibrated nozzle at a specified pressure, working from the bottom up in short sections while someone watches inside, as in AAMA 501.2. Where it leaks shows which joint or seal has failed. It is used at installation to verify work and during leak investigations. Chamber tests apply air pressure as well.
Hose test the first ten windows before they close up the drywall, start at the sill and work up.
Always test from the bottom up; water sprayed high runs down and confuses which joint is leaking.
Also heard as
- water test
- spray test
- 501.2
Related terms
Mock-up
A full-size sample of a wall, window or joint assembly built and tested before the real work starts.
Leaker
Any window, joint or unit that is letting water in, as tracked on a leak investigation punch list.
Curtain wall
A non-load-bearing exterior wall of glass and metal framing hung off the building structure floor by floor.
Flood test
Damming a membrane area and filling it with water for a day or more to prove it does not leak.