Wind-Driven Rain Louvers are the Best Defense Against Water

Updated at April 29, 2008 16:03

AMCA’s Inmotion magazine supplements highlight important industry issues and key solutions to today’s HVAC problems.  In the Spring 2007 issue, Ruskin’s Louver Product Marketing Manager, James Livingston, tackles the issue of louver water penetration head-on with his article titled The Value of Wind Driven Rain Resistant Louvers.  The best defense against water penetration inside a building is with the design and use of wind-driven rain (WDR) louvers.

AMCA rewrote test standard 500-L to measure the effectiveness of the louver’s water repulsion system using wind-driven rain louvers.  This new test standard was based on successful designs utilized in Europe.

Mr. Livingston presumes the following.  “In the last decade, there have been design innovations that enable louvers to provide greater airflow capacity and increased resistance to weather infiltration. One of the most significant improvements in this regard has been the development of wind driven rain resistant louvers. These louvers are highly effective at keeping rain out of buildings, and in many cases have significantly higher airflow capacities than traditional louvers.”

Also in the article, you’ll discover…

• The importance of blade design in WDR louvers.
• How WDR louvers exceed 1250 fpm performance.
• What Class "A" AMCA certification rating means for WDR louvers.
• How to reduce your louver opening size dramatically with WDR louvers.

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