AAMA has also created a sub-task group to work on performance requirements relevant to window and door installation. One of the concerns in this area is that a frame may be distorted by the generation of pressure as the foam expands. This type of sealant is actually a system comprised of a rubber ribbon and an adhesive. Work is being done in ASTM C24's Subcommittee C24.32. The first two industry standards, a test method for joint movement durability and a specification, will be published in 2001.
Work is also in progress on a test method for evaluating adhesion in the field.
When standards apply to a variety of sealant types, they are known as general or generic standards. For example, ASTM C 1375 Guide for Substrates Used in Testing Building Seals and Sealants, approved in 1997, describes standard materials and their surface preparation when used for sealant testing. Any sealant test method that uses glass, anodized aluminum or mortar substrates can reference C 1375. At one time, each type of sealant, i.e., chemically curing, latex and solvent-release, had separate ASTM guides on how to use them. In 1991, the guides were combined into one, C 1193 Standard Guide for Use of Joint Sealants.