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Great Lakes Window® Products Receive Design Pressure Ratings up to 75
Adhering to Rigorous Test Methods Helps Dealers, Distributors Make Sales
TOLEDO, OH, 2005 – Great Lakes Window, an industry-leading manufacturer of all-vinyl custom replacement windows and patio doors, recognizes the importance of helping its dealer and distributor networks turn profits by certifying the quality of their products. Tha t’s why Great Lakes Window products are tested and certified through the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) HALLMARK Certification Program for Design Pressure (DP) ratings. And with DP ratings ranging from 25 to 75, it’s clear that advanced level engineering and top-notch innovation result in durable, high-performing products.
“These days homeowners are as concerned about the security and durability of their windows as they are about appearance and energy efficiency,” says Kim Hanke, president of Hanke Brothers Siding and Windows who sells UniFrame® windows and patio doors to homeowners. “Having a strong DP rating assures me that the product I take to market will help me make sales as well as meet the expectations of my customers.”
In the window and patio door industry, rigorous certification testing methods exist to measure product performance. Windloads, simulated with both positive (exterior wind pushing against the home) and negative (exterior wind pulling away from the home) pressures, as well as air infiltration and water test pressure levels, factor into the DP rating that is awarded to each product. Other performance characteristics such as operating force, forced entry resistance, and various hardware and component tests are taken into account to determine the final product certification. This certification provides dealers and distributors with confirmation of the total performance capabilities of each Great Lakes Window product.
“Many manufacturers opt to forgo the certification process required to establish and utilize DP ratings because of its complexity and cost,” says John Walsh, product manager for Great Lakes Window. “As an innovator in the industry, we feel it is important to educate our customers and the consumer on performance certification, and validate the quality of our product offerings through this process.”
The WDMA HALLMARK Certification Program includes product testing, unannounced in-plant inspections, review of manufacturing processes and materials for conformance to the test specimens. This ensures that the products produced are consistent with the original tested windows and doors, adding to the quality and performance validation of all production units.
Great Lakes Window, headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, has been custom manufacturing vinyl replacement windows and patio doors since 1981. Great Lakes Window markets its products to a nationwide network of dealers under the UniFrame®, PlyGem Lifestyles™, Seabrooke™ and Bayshore™ brand names and distribution channels with the GrandView™ series. The company has earned a reputation for continuous innovation, dedication to quality and commitment to energy-efficient products – including double and triple glazed window and door units with Low-E and gas-filled glass – across the full range of window styles. For more information about products by Great Lakes Window, visit www.greatlakeswindow.com.
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