New construction installation
New construction installation
The New construction installation domain tests installation in a new rough opening before interior and exterior finishes are complete. The exam focuses on rough-opening verification, sill-pan and flashing integration with the water-resistive barrier (WRB), flange fastening, shimming, insulation, and cladding/door detailing.
Core rules
- Verify the rough opening. Check width, height, square (diagonals), plumb, level, and clearances before setting the unit. The WRB and sill pan should be in place before the window.
- Sill pan first. Install a sill pan or pan flashing with a back dam and end dams, sloped to drain. Do not rely on sealant alone.
- Set, shim, fasten. Set the unit plumb, level, and square. Shim at the sill, head, and jamb/hardware points. Fasten the mounting flange to structural framing with corrosion-resistant fasteners at the manufacturer's spacing; flanges are not a substitute for structural attachment.
- Shingle-lap flashing. Follow ASTM E2112 and manufacturer instructions. Jamb flashing, head flashing, and WRB must shed water outward: upper layers lap over lower layers. Use flashing tape meeting AAMA 711 and sealant meeting AAMA 800.
- Insulate and seal. Use backer rod and sealant at interior/exterior joints; low-expansion foam at the perimeter. Keep the sill drainage path and weep holes clear.
- Doors. Use a threshold pan/sloped sill, shim hinges and lock points, and avoid fasteners through the threshold's water path. Check operation and clearance.
Worked example
A wood-frame window with a nailing flange is installed over housewrap. The crew verifies the rough opening diagonals, installs a sloped sill pan with a back dam, applies sealant, sets the window level and square, and fastens the flange to studs-not just sheathing. They flash the jambs, then the head, so each upper layer sheds over the lower; the housewrap above laps over the head flashing. They insulate with low-expansion foam, seal the interior, and leave the sill weep path open. If the head flashing were reverse-lapped, water would enter at the head-a common failure.
Traps
Fastening flanges only to sheathing; omitting the sill pan; reverse-lapping head flashing; sealing weep holes; over-shimming or over-tightening fasteners; using high-expansion foam; installing before the WRB; forgetting door threshold pans and clearance.