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Why we do much more than BBA testing
BBA testing ensures products perform as expected and formulas meet the latest safety standards and regulations. BBA stands for the British Board of Agrément, which provides you with the reassurance that approved products are of a high quality.
Giromax® roof coatings are all BBA-approved, which means they have achieved British Agrément Certificates. But although we adhere to the BBA testing process, our technical team have their own rigorous testing process. Our approach greatly exceeds the number of tests required for a product to become BBA approved.
BBA approval inspection testing certification
The BBA is a recognised body that works closely with the construction sector, including the manufacturing of materials. Established in 1966 by the UK government, they are an independent certification organisation, which inspects the quality of work and materials. BBA certification is recognised by local authorities, building control, insurers and architects. BBA-approved products must meet a set of standards and are subject to regular inspections.
The BBA has a Test Services facility, which is a UKAS-accredited testing laboratory and ensures extra validity. Any materials used in construction, including roof coatings are tested to see how they will perform when exposed to extreme heat or cold and weather conditions.
When it comes to products, the BBA provides 1,000 hours of testing as a standard. They will test for product durability, thermal performance and energy efficiency. The BBA also performs weather resistance and wind testing to see how the coating fares in different conditions. They will also assess the mechanical, physical and structural elements of a coating to see whether the product performs as per the specification.
In comparison, the Giromax® technical team test our roof coatings for a minimum 3,000 hours, which equates to around 2 years. This is three times longer than the BBA testing approach, giving you greater reassurance when you specify our products.
Giromax testing programme
During the Giromax® product development phase, we continue testing even when we can see that a product is highly durable after 5,000 hours. Using ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) compliant testing procedures, we check for a variety of different qualities. This includes user application, adhesion, flexibility, durability and surface abrasion.
Our weather resistance tests go way beyond standard methods. We use a QUV accelerated weather testing cabinet, which is compliant to ISO, ASTM, BSI and various other governing standards. We use the QUV machine to simulate different intensities of UV sun rays to check the coatings resilience to UV damage. The fluorescent lamps can produce UVA, UVB and UVC rays at elevated temperatures; we test continuously for 16,000 hours and longer.
The QUV machine also mimics different wet conditions, such as humidity, water spray and condensation. This allows us to see the effects of rain and dew on our product range. Within a few days or weeks, this equipment can replicate damage caused by several months or years of exposure to the elements.
As well as using the QUC cabinet, we physically test our products by coating panels and leaving these exposed to extreme weather conditions. We can then see how our coatings are affected by storms, snow and ice. This includes full water submersion and checking the effects of pooling water when it freezes, which is useful for our gutter coatings. We also carry out salt spray testing over a 9-month period, which is also important for gutter coatings.
Another type of physical test that mimics the weight and impact of someone dropping a heavy tool or walking onto a roof system is our drop ball testing method. This helps us to develop coatings that withstand roof inspections to check vents and air conditioning units.
BBA approved roof coatings
The Giromax® technical team carry out continuous, extensive and quantifiable testing of our coatings. Our meticulous approach ensures our products are highly effective and robust in a variety of adverse weather conditions. We double-check the results of our QUV cabinet tests by hanging panels outdoors on top of a container or on a panel rack. This ensures that we can develop high-performance roof coatings that always exceed BBA standards.
All Giromax® products are researched, tested, developed and manufactured in the UK. As a result, our products are more resilient to global supply chain trends. We have designed our roof coatings to have a guaranteed lifespan of 15, 20 or 25 years. To obtain our guarantee, the substrate must be prepared correctly and the product applied to the required standard.
If you need technical guidance on user application or a Giromax® product, please speak to our team or call 01455 558969.
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Why we do much more than BBA testing
Managing Director
Giromax® roof coatings are all BBA-approved, which means they have achieved British Agrément Certificates. But although we adhere to the BBA testing process, our technical team have their own rigorous testing process. Our approach greatly exceeds the number of tests required for a product to become BBA approved.
