prEN 12427

Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates - Air permeability - Test method

This document specifies a test method for determining the air permeability for industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates according prEN 13241:2020 in a closed position.
For the purposes of this document the term ‘door’ is used as a general term for ‘industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates’ unless clearly stated.

Tore - Luftdurchlässigkeit - Prüfverfahren

Dieses Dokument legt ein Prüfverfahren zur Bestimmung des Widerstandes gegen Luftdurchlässigkeit für Türen und Tore für Industrie, Gewerbe und Garagen nach prEN 13241:2020 in geschlossener Stellung fest.
Im Sinne dieses Dokuments wird der Ausdruck "Tor" als Oberbegriff für "Türen und Tore für Industrie, Gewerbe und Garagen" verwendet, sofern nicht ausdrücklich angegeben.

Portes et portails industriels, commerciaux et de garage - Perméabilité à l’air - Méthode d’essai

Le présent document spécifie une méthode d’essai pour déterminer la perméabilité à l’air des portes et portails industriels, commerciaux et de garage conformes au prEN 13241:2020 en position fermée.
Pour les besoins du présent document, le terme « porte » est employé en tant que terme générique pour désigner les « portes et portails industriels, commerciaux et de garage », sauf indication contraire explicite.

Vrata v industrijske in javne prostore ter garažna vrata - Prepustnost zraka - Preskusna metoda

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 13-Jul-2023
• ICS: 91.060.50 - Doors and windows
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 33 - Doors, windows, shutters and building hardware
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 33/WG 5 - Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates
• Current Stage: 4598 - Decision to abandon - Finalization for Vote
• Start Date: 15-Jul-2024
• Completion Date: 14-Apr-2025
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 12427:2021 - Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates - Air permeability - Test method

Relations

• Revises: EN 12427:2000 - Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates - Air permeability - Test method
• Effective Date: 19-Jan-2023

Overview

prEN 12427:2020 is a European draft standard developed by CEN/TC 33 that specifies a test method to determine the air permeability of industrial, commercial, and garage doors and gates when in the closed position. This method aligns with the product standard prEN 13241:2020 and serves as a crucial assessment tool to evaluate the air leakage performance of doors under controlled test conditions.

The standard supports manufacturers, testing laboratories, and regulatory bodies by providing a harmonized and precise methodology for measuring air permeability, helping to ensure product quality, energy efficiency, and compliance with relevant performance requirements.

Key Topics

• Scope and Applicability: The document applies broadly to all doors and gates in industrial, commercial, and garage settings. The term door generally covers all these types.

• Test Principle: The test involves applying controlled air pressure (both positive and, if required, negative) to the door specimen installed in a test rig simulating the structural opening. Airflow through the closed door is then precisely measured.

• Apparatus Requirements:

  • A configurable opening replicating the site installation.
  • Controlled air pressure system.
  • Accurate airflow measurement devices (+/- 5% accuracy).
  • Air pressure measurement instruments (+/- 5% accuracy).
  • Means for sealing joints of the specimen as needed.

• Specimen Preparation:

  • Doors should be installed per manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Specimens must be representative of production quality, clean, and dry.
  • Ventilation or drainage holes are either taped or left open depending on test objectives.
  • Minimum specimen dimensions are set (e.g., 2,000 mm x 2,000 mm for commercial/garage doors).

• Test Procedure:

  • Specimens conditioned at 10°C–30°C and 25%–75% relative humidity for at least 4 hours.
  • Residual air permeability is measured before testing.
  • Positive pressure tests conducted first, negative pressure tests optional.
  • Applying air pressure pulses to seat seals before final measurement.
  • Final airflow readings taken at stabilized pressure up to 50 Pa.
  • Air permeability calculated relative to overall structural opening area.

• Test Reporting:

  • Must include identification of specimen, test equipment, environmental conditions, observed leakage points (with visuals), and calculated air permeability values.
  • Classification according to prEN 13241:2020 performance characteristics.
  • Signed by responsible personnel to ensure traceability.

Applications

• Product Quality Control: Ensures doors meet specified air permeability performance before market release.
• Energy Efficiency Compliance: Helps building designers and manufacturers reduce heat loss and drafts, contributing to overall building energy performance.
• Regulatory Certification: Facilitates certification and compliance with European and national standards by providing standardized test results.
• Design Optimization: Assists engineers in evaluating door sealing and design improvements through quantitative data.
• Building Performance Assessment: Supports architects and contractors in selecting suitable doors for industrial and commercial environments to minimize air infiltration.

Related Standards

• prEN 13241:2020 - Product standard covering performance characteristics for industrial and commercial doors and gates, which references air permeability classification.
• EN 12433-1 & EN 12433-2 - Terminology standards defining door types and parts for industrial, commercial, and garage doors.
• EN 12114 - Thermal performance of building elements - laboratory test method for air permeability, which forms the basis for this testing approach.
• National Building and Energy Codes - Depending on jurisdiction, these may incorporate or reference prEN 12427 for compliance.

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Adopting prEN 12427 helps stakeholders consistently evaluate air permeability, a critical factor in door performance relating to building airtightness, durability, and occupant comfort. The test method enables precise, repeatable measurements that support innovation and adherence to evolving sustainability goals in building design and construction.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2021
Vrata v industrijske in javne prostore ter garažna vrata - Prepustnost zraka -
Preskusna metoda
Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates - Air permeability - Test method
Tore - Luftdurchlässigkeit - Prüfverfahren
Portes et portails industriels, commerciaux et de garage - Perméabilité à l’air - Méthode
d’essai
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 12427
ICS:
91.060.50 Vrata in okna Doors and windows
91.090 Konstrukcije zunaj stavb External structures
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
November 2020
ICS 91.060.50 Will supersede EN 12427:2000
English Version
Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates - Air
permeability - Test method
Portes et portails industriels, commerciaux et de Tore - Luftdurchlässigkeit - Prüfverfahren
garage - Perméabilité à l'air - Méthode d'essai
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 33.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 12427:2020 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 Principle of test . 4
5 Apparatus . 4
6 Preparation of test specimen . 5
7 Test procedure . 5
7.1 Preliminaries . 5
7.2 Procedure. 5
8 Test report . 6
Annex A (normative) Air pressure sequence for test rig . 8
Bibliography . 9
European foreword
This document (prEN 12427:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 33 “Doors,
windows, shutters, building hardware and curtain walling”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 12427:2000.
Compared with EN 12427:2000, the following changes have been made:
— normative references were updated;
— references to the classification standard EN 12426:2000 were deleted as the classification of the
characteristic air permeability has been transferred to prEN 13241:2020, and references to
prEN 13241:2020 have been added accordingly.
This document is one of a series of test standards identified within the product standard
prEN 13241:2020.
European Standards as well as relevant national regulations and standards will enable the actual
exposure levels to be determined for the individual locations of the products.
This document has been drafted on basis of EN 12114, Thermal performance of building — Air
permeability of building components and building elements — Laboratory test method.
As during the revision of this document the test procedures haven’t been changed, existing test results
remain valid (historical data).

1 Scope
This document specifies a test method for determining the air permeability for industrial, commercial
and garage doors and gates according prEN 13241:2020 in a closed position.
For the purposes of this document the term ‘door’ is used as a gen
...