IAPMO R&T’s Product Certification Committee: Giving Clients an Additional Level of Assurance
Manufacturers have many options when it comes to having their products certified. However, only IAPMO offers a committee of knowledgeable industry experts who take a final look to ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards.
Backwater Valves: How They Work and Why They're Important
Have you ever experienced an unexpected downpour of rain, which threatened your home with sewer water backup problems or water problems in general? Fixing clean rainwater backups wherever they may occur is already bad enough — imagine if it was sewage water, which ruins anything it contacts or touches.
Selling Plumbing Products in Mexico
The Mexican government is making large strides toward improving the nation’s potable water and sanitary systems and advancing water conservation efforts.
Taking Another Look at Codes, Standards, and Third-Party Certification
First, let’s look at some quick definitions: Codes, Standards, Specifications and Third Party Certification.
Inspectors Find Our Marks of Conformity Invaluable
IAPMO R&T fully understands the power of the UPC mark of conformity — the information and trust it conveys, its high recognition across the globe, and the integrity with which it is bestowed upon a product. But it’s far more satisfying when we hear it from the people who rely upon the mark every day to inform their decisions on the jobsite: inspectors.
UAE Standards Body Visits IAPMO, Explores Future Collaboration
Leadership from the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA), the United Arab Emirates’ standards/testing/certification body visited IAPMO’s World Headquarters recently to explore ways to collaborate on water-related conservation and learn more.
Year in Review
IAPMO R&T’s certification business had another busy, successful and record-setting year. It’s no secret that this was because of the hard work of our dedicated staff members, who are always ready to assist manufacturers with their certification needs. We instill in our staff the importance of teamwork and customer service, which I believe is directly connected to the success we have enjoyed for many years. Thank you to our staff for their dedication to their work and to our loyal customers who continue to trust IAPMO with their certification.
Year in Review
With the great effort and hard work by many people since it was established in 1926, the IAPMO name now is truly synonymous with “plumbing experts.” When it comes to plumbing certification, IAPMO’s UPC® shield is what often comes first to the mind of plumbing inspectors, wholesalers, and retailers in the United States.
Are You Getting the Maximum Benefit from Your IAPMO R&T Listing?
For a listee, the IAPMO R&T listing indicates that your products have been tested by a qualified product testing laboratory, evaluated by IAPMO R&T’s experienced engineers, and approved by IAPMO R&T’s Product Certification Committee as complying with the requirements of applicable standard and code. Because plumbing inspectors, product buyers, and consumers are looking for indication that products are listed when accepting them for installation or making their purchasing decisions, it is ultimately important for you to communicate clearly that your products are listed, compliant, and safe to use.
U.S. Water Conserving Product Requirements: The History and What They Are
The concept of water conservation has been recognized in the United States for more than 60 years. Back in the 1950s, the Water Resources Policy Commission published “A Water Policy for the American People” that read:
“We can no longer be wasteful and careless in our attitude towards our water resources. Not only in the West, where the crucial value of water has long been recognized, but in every part of the country, we must manage and conserve water if we are to make the best use of it for future development” (Wolff & Gleick, 2003, p. 16).
What Makes the UPC Mark of Conformity Stand Apart ?
Being red tagged on a job site due to use of uncertified products or those that do not satisfy code requirements is definitely a nightmare for all contractors, homeowners, designers, and manufacturers. Believe it or not, even the inspectors from the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) do not like to deal with this type of situation. Isn’t it easier for everybody involved when everything goes smoothly at a job site? With that situation in mind, it is important to understand why not all certification marks are the same.
Year in Review
“Going international” has become a trend for many large organizations and corporations to embrace in today’s global economy, but this is not something new to The IAPMO Group. With the first word of IAPMO being “International,” The IAPMO Group’s goal “to promote international public health and safety with environmental awareness” has led our efforts beyond U.S. borders for decades. For more than 20 years, IAPMO’s Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) has been introduced to many countries around the world. Today, the UPC has been either implemented directly or used as a guide to develop plumbing regulations in many countries in Asia and the Middle East. In addition, the IAPMO Group has also developed a series of plumbing codes specifically used in other countries, such as the UPC-I for India and SNI8153:2015 for Indonesia.
IAPMO R&T Helping Manufacturers Adjust to Drought Regulations
As a premier product certification provider, IAPMO R&T understands the importance of keeping our clients current on industry developments and new requirements that may affect their products’ marketability. On April 1, California Gov. Jerry Brown directed the first statewide mandatory water reduction in Executive Order B-29-15. This was due to the severity of California’s drought.
IAPMO and MIRDC: Partnering to Make Taiwan Safer, Healthier
IAPMO’s name is synonymous with plumbing. When it comes to plumbing products, the UPC® shield mark of conformity comes immediately to mind. It is no coincidence then that when the Taiwanese government-funded plumbing product research and development testing laboratory MIRDC (Metal Industries Research and Development Center) sought to expand its capabilities, they contacted IAPMO.
Year in Review
By definition, “code” is a systematic collection of regulations and rules. In today’s economy, “Live by the Code” means to have confidence that the world in which we are living is protected by these codes for health and safety reasons. In our plumbing industry, IAPMO publishes the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) and other related codes. The importance of the UPC in our environment can be highlighted by an often reported fact: Provisions from IAPMO’s Uniform Plumbing Code protect more than half of the world’s population. It is an honor for all of us at IAPMO R&T to understand what we do every day is contributing to such an amazing achievement. This also inspires us to continue what we do and to expand our services in areas where we can contribute more toward public health and safety.
IAPMO R&T’s Expertise Expands to Now Include Food
Over the years, IAPMO R&T’s product certification program has grown to include many new areas, such as electrical products, solar products, and food equipment; our expertise has gone beyond plumbing.
Mexican Accreditation Marks Another Milestone for IAPMO
As a product certification organization, IAPMO R&T is always seeking opportunities to offer new services and programs that will be beneficial to our clients. One way in which we accomplish this is by expanding our readiness to offer certification services in new markets, such as certification to Canadian requirements, or through offering certifications for new products and programs, such as the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense® and ENERGY STAR® programs. Now we are happy to deliver another new service — certification for the Mexican market. We see this as a milestone that will have significant impact on our industry.
Not All Certification Marks of Conformity are Created Equally
Brand recognition. It’s something for which every company that is selling a product or service strives; when just a name or logo tells the consumer everything they need to know. Companies spend millions of dollars on advertising and stadium naming rights to try and achieve this enviable status.
Year in Review
It has always been IAPMO R&T’s vision to achieve and maintain our position in the plumbing and mechanical industry as the certification body of choice by the manufacturers, inspectors, and authorities having jurisdiction. In the last year, we focused all our efforts with this vision in mind. A few highlights follow:
The UPC’s Value Stretches Far Beyond the North American Market
In North America, I believe those involved in plumbing would agree that “UPC®” is synonymous with plumbing. Looking back at the early years of the IAPMO, it was started in 1926 by a group of Los Angeles city plumbing inspectors who were taking a coffee break and discussing plumbing issues. Someone proposed forming an association of what later became IAPMO. The inspectors’ objectives were as follows: “To advance the latest and most improved methods of sanitation; to promote the welfare of and the harmony between the owner, builder and craftsman; to accomplish a uniformity in the application of the provisions of the ordinances; and to promulgate the mutual benefit of the members, the City Division of Plumbing and the General Plumbing Fraternity.”
Discover the Unmatched Value of the UPC Mark of Conformity
Often we say “Look for the UPC® mark and discover its value” because we cannot emphasize enough that the UPC® mark carries a value that is important to your business and products — a value that has no substitute. The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) has been published for more than 80 years to serve the industry, and the UPC® mark of conformity used to signify the compliance of products to the code for many decades.
Year in Review
It was another busy, successful and record-setting year for IAPMO R&T’s certification business. For IAPMO R&T, the past year was a busy year and also a very successful one. Our certification business just made another record-setting year. It is worth noting that our success did not come easily at a time when the overall global economy is still in slow recovery and the industry we service continues to be affected by decreased development and low demand for construction materials.
‘Real Pros’ at Irrigation Certification
I’m happy to be able to report that in April we completed WaterSense® certification of Encino, Calif.,-based Cyber Rain’s line of weather-based commercial and residential irrigation controllers, making IAPMO R&T the first third-party certification body to certify such a product as meeting the latest WaterSense® efficiency specification.
Year in Review
As the product certification unit of The IAPMO Group, IAPMO R&T's primary business activities remain the providing of certification services to our clients and offering these services to the industry. What makes IAPMO R&T outstanding as a preferred choice for our clients when dealing with their certification needs are the wide acceptance of our marks of conformity in the industry, the broad range of certification services offered to make us the "one-stop shop" for clients, the knowledgeable staff engineers and the Plumbing Certification Committee we have, the superb customer service with fast h1rnaround time, and our global presence enabling us to serve clients from all over the world.
A True One-Stop Certification Shop
When we talk about IAPMO and IAPMO R&T’s 76 years as a certification body, we are certainly emphasizing our three-quarter century’s experience, knowledge and expertise in becoming North America’s premier provider of certification services to manufacturers of plumbing products.
Product Certification Works for Officials, Manufacturers and Consumers Alike
IAPMO R&T’s product listing program was created to serve plumbing and mechanical officials in their enforcement of laws, codes and standards. In a competitive marketplace for these services, it’s worthwhile to remember exactly why IAPMO R&T provides the services it does.
Chinese Hardware Association Visits IAPMO
A delegation from the China National Hardware Association (CNHA), the exclusive hardware manufacturer association in China, recently visited IAPMO World Headquarters in Ontario, Calif., to meet with representatives from IAPMO R&T, tour the facilities and learn how IAPMO R&T can help their members achieve the third-party certification necessary for exporting products to the U.S. and Canadian markets.
30-Plus Years of Solar Thermal Certifications
While solar thermal systems are a significant part of the “Green” buzz within our industry, it’s important to note they’re not new; solar thermal technology has been prevalent since the 1970s. Also noteworthy is the fact IAPMO R&T has been certifying these systems just as long.
Since 1976, IAPMO has published the Uniform Solar Energy Code® (USEC), the first model code of its kind to govern the installation, operation and maintenance of solar energy systems in both commercial and residential applications.
IAPMO R&T is Listening, Reacting
Earlier this summer, IAPMO R&T hosted our annual Industry Advisory Forum, an opportunity to bring many of our clients — and some of the industry’s true heavyweights — together in one place to listen to their thoughts, concerns and advice regarding the manufacturing industry and how IAPMO R&T can be better equipped to serve it.
ENERGY STAR® Certification Made Easy With IAPMO R&T
Of the numerous new services introduced by IAPMO R&T in recent months, we are perhaps most proud of our recognition by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy to provide third party certification to the ENERGY STAR® product labeling system.
Beware of Free Offers Because You Often Get What You Pay For
Product certification in North America is a competitive undertaking, with numerous organizations vying for manufacturers’ business. However, not all third-party certification bodies are alike. Most are accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65, the standard by which such organizations are measured internationally, but after that the similarities become less clear.
EPA Presents Heat Metering Framework to ASTM and IAPMO
ASTM International and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) signed a memorandum of understanding on Dec. 20, 2011, to establish a framework of cooperation for the development of ASTM standards for heat metering.
IAPMO Qualified to Certify Solar Hot Water Systems in California
On Nov. 10, 2011, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) made the decision to modify the CSI-Thermal program to allow solar water heating systems certified by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to be eligible for the program’s financial incentive.
IAPMO was given permission under the decision by CPUC to certify SWH systems in California to the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) OG-300 standard.
Industry buzz surrounds IAPMO R&T’s electro-plumbing certification program
The number of plumbing fixtures and appliances incorporating electronic elements has grown exponentially in recent months and IAPMO R&T has remained ahead of the curve by offering electro-plumbing product certification to manufacturers of these new innovations.
From familiar products like electric spas and swimming pool pumps to hydromassage tubs and underwater luminaries, IAPMO R&T offers certification services to show each of these products is in full compliance with all of the applicable codes and standards that govern their performance, installation and use.
Foreign or Domestic: We've Got Our Standards
We’ve seen a lot of news stories lately about products from China being recalled due to safety concerns. Without question, such reports raise eyebrows here at IAPMO R&T, where protecting the public’s health and safety has been central to our purpose for 72 years.
Let me begin by stating IAPMO R&T makes our services available to all manufacturers, domestic and foreign, so long as they meet the minimum requirements of the applicable codes and standards that govern their products. The country of origin is not a determining factor to what gains certification and what does not.
