Is testing windows, doors, or exterior walls with a garden hose and nozzle an acceptable practice to show leaks?
Not unless one wishes to disregard design, manufacturer, and installer objectives and assurances. Fenestration systems are designed to resist moisture under known conditions of precipitation and wind (pressure differential). Flooding a window or door with water from a hose provides no useful data pertaining to adequacy of design, installation or manufacture. There are accepted methods of testing and guidance has been provided by ASTM E 1105-00; E – 547 – 00; E- 331-00; E 699-99 and other organizations such as American Architectural Manufacturers Association AAMA 502-02, or in Canada the Canadian Window and Door Manufacturers Association [section 8.0].
