Pro Installer January 2016 - Issue 34 | Page 39

39 PRO INSTALLER JANUARY 2016 TOP TIPS UNLEASHED @proinstaller1 Nothing but the Highest Approval Installers and manufacturers should take care to except nothing other than a genuine original copy of certification for all their components. As we well know, successful things are being copied all the time and unfortunately, in many cases the copy does not deliver what it promises it should. Sometimes this only becomes obvious when the copy is carefully scrutinised and the performance criteria of the original are wellknown. The BF data sheets for windows are published by the “Warm Edge Working Party” of the Bundesverband Flachglas e.V. (“BF” = German Federal Flat Glass Association) and the RAL Gütegemeinschaft Mehrscheiben-Isolierglas e. V. (“GMI” = German Multi-Pane Insulating Glass Quality Association) and the organisations work hard to ensure that spacer bar products they endorse have met the uppermost approval. To obtain a BF data sheet the spacer system manufacturer has to submit an application to the BF offices including full documentation for verification. According to the regulatory requirements, not only the test reports for the thermal performance are requested, but also reports of system tests for the long term behavior according to EN 1279 parts 2 and 3. The Quality Committee of the GMI con