Proposed Revisions to ANSI/WMA 100
It’s About Strengthening Product Performance
by Jessica Ferris
As the door industry continues to respond to evolving performance expectations, changing environmental conditions and increasing demands for resilient building products, having practical and consistent methods for demonstrating product performance is more important than ever.
World Millwork Alliance’s (WMA) proposed revisions to ANSI/WMA 100-2023, “Standard Method of Determining Structural Performance Ratings of Side-Hinged Exterior Door Systems and Procedures for Component Substitution,” represent an important step forward in providing the door industry with a more comprehensive framework for evaluating the performance of side-hinged exterior door systems (SHEDS).
Expanding the Scope of Performance
ANSI/WMA 100 determines the structural design pressure rating of side-hinged exterior door systems using the ASTM E330 test method. After a rating is established, the standard provides protocols for qualifying a component for substitution within the rated door system. It also includes slab stiffness testing procedures for determining substitution qualification.
Revisions currently proposed would expand the scope of the standard beyond structural performance to address two additional areas that are critical to the overall performance and resilience of exterior doors: air leakage, using ASTM E283/E283M, and water penetration, using the ASTM E331 and ASTM E547 test methods.
Air, water and structural (AWS) testing is commonly treated as a three-part performance framework for doors and windows because together the tests address the three fundamental ways an exterior fenestration product must perform under environmental exposure: keeping air out, keeping water out and resisting structural forces. By bringing these two additional performance characteristics into the standard, WMA 100 will provide the industry with a comprehensive standard that is already recognized and referenced in building codes around the country and will demonstrate how a door system performs when exposed to conditions it may encounter in service.
A More Complete Picture of Door Performance
Resilience is not defined by a single performance characteristic. An exterior door must be capable of maintaining its intended function while being exposed to a range of environmental forces, including wind pressure, air movement and water.
Structural performance testing provides important information about a door system’s ability to withstand pressure. However, structural integrity is only one part of the equation. Air leakage and water penetration can also affect a building’s durability, occupant comfort, energy performance and resistance to weather-related conditions.
Adding air and water testing to WMA 100 will help producers, specifiers, code officials and other industry stakeholders better understand and communicate the overall performance capabilities of side-hinged exterior door systems.
Supporting Resilient Product Design
For manufacturers, distributors, and door pre-hangers, standardized testing procedures that offer protocols for component substitution provides a consistent and practical means of demonstrating product performance. This is particularly valuable as the door industry works to meet increasingly sophisticated expectations for resilient construction.
A comprehensive performance evaluation can help producers demonstrate that their products are designed and tested to address multiple aspects of exterior door performance, not simply one isolated characteristic.
The revisions may also provide greater flexibility for the industry as products and components evolve. WMA 100 includes procedures for qualifying component substitutions within a rated door system. Expanding the standard’s scope to include air leakage and water penetration can help maintain a consistent performance-based approach as producers make changes to components and product configurations.
Ultimately, the goal is to provide the door industry with tools that support innovation while maintaining confidence in and compliance to product performance requirements without burdening producers with duplicative testing.
An Opportunity for Industry Input
These revisions have been proposed by WMA’s Regulatory Affairs and Standards Development Committee through WMA’s standards development process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
As with any standards development effort, industry input is an important part of ensuring that the final document is technically sound, practical and responsive to the needs of those who use it. WMA is currently accepting public commentsthrough September 21, 2026. All interested parties are invited to participate in the public comment process and help shape the next edition of ANSI/WMA 100.
The revised standard will strengthen the door industry’s ability to demonstrate product performance across multiple areas and support a comprehensive approach to assessing resilient exterior door systems.
